Window to the Soul
by Lift the Wings
Summary: The eyes are the window to your soul. They are also the most powerful weapon Aurelie could ever wield. With one look she can level a city, control anyone, and see through just about any material known to mankind. Roped into the Sokovia Accords as an unofficial Avenger, she must choose. To have her power manipulated by others or trust her gut - and her heart - and do what's right.
1. Prologue

Hi everyone! Happy Memorial Day one and all! Just saw Civil War for the second time today and it was just as good the second time around. This is going to start out before the movie, obviously, but we'll get into it and beyond. Please read and review; I hope you all enjoy it!

Prologue

"Why do you wear those?"

Pushing the square, purple frames back up along the bridge of my nose, I offered the gangly teen across the counter a disapproving stare, "What, you don't like them?"

His dark eyes widened and he drew his lower lip into his mouth, his cheeks coloring as he stared at the countertop sheepishly, "No, that's not- I didn't mean it like that. I like 'em, really; they're cool. But, like, I dunno; they're-big? Just my aunt thinks you'd look better if you didn't wear them…"

"Your _aunt_ , huh?" I teased, winking as he nodded adamantly, "sure it's not just _you_ , bud?"

His frantic nodding turned to hasty, wild-eyed shaking, nearly leaping from his seat in alarm, "No, no, no, I don't like you. Not that I don't _like_ you, but, ah, I don't _like_ you? I do, I mean, it's just not- you're pretty, but- not that I-"

Snorting, I shook my head and stood on the tips of my toes, leaning across the counter and ruffling his hair, "Cool your shit, Petey, I get it."

He exhaled heavily, throwing his head back in relief, only to nearly topple off of his stool as I smirked, "You dig me."

Laughing at the poor kid's misfortune, I trotted over to the stove and retrieved two massive blueberry muffins Tossing one at him, I marveled silently at his lightning-quick reflexes and smirked. It was only fair, feeding him, especially after the teasing I put him through. He was just so damn easy to mess with.

I adjusted my glasses once more and grinned, "On the house, kid. And, for the record, _I_ think these glasses are the bomb."

He chuckled and shook his head, wincing, "People don't say that anymore, Aury; God, how old are you?"

"How old are _you_?" I retorted, sticking my tongue out at him and swatting at him with my rag, "twelve?"

"Sixteen!" he protested with a less than intimidating glower, taking a massive chomp out of his muffin and promptly choking. He chugged the glass of milk I sat next to him, frowning as I laughed my ass off and moved toward the window.

Though I doubted Peter would have made much of the car door slamming down the road, I had more than a little reason to be wary. Pulling back a gauzy white curtain, I drew my glasses down my nose and scanned the streets below my apartment. Nothing visible, so a block or two over. Peering past, _through_ the buildings on my block, I searched for the source. It wasn't Creeper Joe that lived in the corner apartment, with his telescope and 3 a.m. walks through the halls, or NormAndy, the men that lived in the apartment just below mine and left flowers on my welcome mat every holiday. So long as Creeper Joe didn't steal them first…

It wasn't even in the parking lot at the bakery on the other side of the block.

Two streets down, hidden behind a bank, a nondescript black sedan caught my attention and my gaze narrowed. Through the thick steel of both the building and the car itself, and the tinted windows, I caught sight of two forms, a man and a woman. They were clear as day, though to anyone else, they certainly wouldn't have been. The woman had a mop of thick, red hair and gold aviators, while the man was squished in the normally roomy car, built beyond belief, blond and blue-eyed.

The Black Widow and Captain-Freaking-America.

 _Shit_.

As they began to exit their vehicle, I rounded on Peter, still munching away at the muffin and shooting me sullen glares every now and then. I blew him a kiss and noted, "Sorry to kick you out, neighbor, but I gotta get some work done. This book isn't gonna write itself. Tell May I say hey, okay? And bring her a muffin for the compliment."

He nodded, hopping to his feet and trotting over to the stove. He grabbed another from the plate, his gaze shifting to mine; a quick glance at his backpack showed another two muffins stashed away from sight.

I grinned, glad he enjoyed them anyway, and walked him to the door. He gave me a wave and a grin, stepping into the hallway and heading across the way to his apartment.

"Hey, Petey," I called, fighting a grin and noting cheerfully, "maybe give May two of those muffins, yeah? Don't wanna make yourself sick."

"Thanks, Aury," he noted shyly, ducking his head and fiddling with his keys, "see you tomorrow?"

"Sure thing," I nodded, peering beneath my specs, toward the floor to my left, watching through the carpeting, the wooden flooring, and the steel beams. I watched as the Captain and the Widow made their way into the complex, chatting inaudibly, their steps swift and tense. "Maybe I'll make orange cranberry?"

"My favorite!" the young teen grinned, "alright, see ya, Aury."

"Bye, kid," I waved him off, watching him shut the door and leaning against the threshold of my apartment, turning and staring down the hall. It would take, oh, a minute and a half to get up the three floors to my home; I opted not to watch their progress, not wanting to invade the privacy of my neighbors to do so. And, honestly, not wanting to see what Creeper Joe was up to behind closed doors.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened; neither of its occupants seemed surprised to see me waiting for them; the Black Widow did nothing but the Captain inclined his head in a silent greeting.

Turning my back to them, I entered my apartment, leaving the door open and retrieving my plate of muffins. Setting them on the marble countertop, I hauled myself onto a stool and rested my elbows on the surface, clasping my hands together and resting my chin atop my fists. Staring at the doorway, I watched them enter in silence, the Widow shutting the door behind her and pressing her back to it. The captain stood stoically between us, his arms folded behind his back.

Lifting the plate of muffins, I held it out to them, a polite smile on my face, "Muffin?"

The Widow smirked and the Captain shook his head, "Aurelie… we need your help."

Sighing, I set the plate down and raked a hand through my short, blonde pixie locks, "Cuttin' right to the chase, huh, Cap?"

A tiny grin tugged at his lips and his stance eased, crossing the distance between us in three strides, making my apartment appear woefully tiny. He dropped himself onto the stool Peter had recently vacated, helping himself to a muffin. Taking a bite, he nodded in approval, those baby blues lifting and meeting my golden ones, "We've got intel on an enhanced, goes by Mystique. We need you to help us find her. Apparently she can change herself into anyone. You'd never be able to tell the difference between her and whoever she's pretending to be. But, with your abilities, we figured we had a shot at finding her."

"Cap, I'm flattered you keep coming onto me-," _Christ, he blushes more than Petey does_ , I thought amusedly, "-but that Sokovia deal was a one-time thing."

"And D.C.?" Natasha queried from the doorway, arms folded across her chest, one brow quirked high on her forehead.

"Two-times, then."

"New York?" Cap continued, fighting and failing to hide a grin, ignoring my protests, "with Loki _and_ that Wilson guy… Sam even said there was something in San Fran last year you were involved in? C'mon, Aurelie, it's more than a one-time thing. You're a hero."

"Hero's pushing it, Cap, but thanks," I replied, offering him a tight, sheepish smile. Rolling my shoulders, I lowered my gaze and contemplated his request. He wasn't wrong; I had lent a hand on more than one occasion to my fellow _gifted_ companions, but, try as I might, keeping a low profile was a bit of a high priority for me. Hell, my neighbors had no idea what I could do; I wanted to keep it that way.

Natasha approached the marble island and slid a Stark tablet toward me, exchanging it for a muffin and stepping away, "Just think about it, Aurelie; we could really use your help on this one."

Exhaling noisily, I skimmed through the file on this Mystique, this Raven, contemplating how easy it would be to pick her out of a crowd when she could mimic the appearance of _anyone_ on the face of the planet. They weren't wrong; my abilities could be of use to them.

It was a well-known saying; "the eyes were the window to your soul."

Well, the eyes were far more than that for me. A bright gold in color, they were the key to my abilities. Not only could I see through steel, wood, and flesh, I could take control of any person, any animal; anything with eyes that could meet my own. Thoughts could be changed, actions controlled, stopped, begun. Piercing, burning flames weren't unheard of, though I had to concentrate - and be well and truly pissed - to pull that one off. Perfect vision at night, in water, through a blinding snowstorm… any and all of it was possible with these golden peepers.

It wouldn't take much to meet see through this Mystique's disguise, see her deep blue flesh beneath whatever skin she chose, and prevent her from breaking into the First National Bank and filling Magneto's pockets. Make her march back to her boss empty-handed and uncertain as to why she had such a sudden change of heart.

Throwing my head back dramatically, I groaned loudly, fighting a grin, "I _guess_ I could help you out. Just. This. Once."

"You say that now, Aury, but admit it, you're a sucker for this pretty mug," Nat noted, tipping her head toward the handsome captain and snorting when I rolled my eyes and batted them at the flustered man. Offering him an exaggerated wink, I feigned grudging acceptance, "Nat, you're right. He's just too damn beautiful."

"Alright," the captain noted, redder than Peter, palms on the counter as he shoved himself to his feet and avoided my glowing gaze, "Avengers base, tomorrow morning, oh-six-hundred.; we want to be there before she walks through those doors." He met my gaze briefly, offering me a warm smile, "Thanks for the muffin, Aurelie."

"No problem, Cap," I saluted him, trailing after him and Natasha. Catching the soldier by the elbow, I turned him toward me and queried softly, "You find anything new on Bucky?"

Lips pursed, his eyes fell to his boots and he toed at the worn, Persian rug at his feet, "No, not really. Some false leads, cold trails. He's good at covering his tracks."

"You'll find him, Steve," I offered him a reassuring grin, nodding at Natasha as she made her way into the hallway without a word, "don't worry."

He nodded once, jaw clenching as he thought about his wayward friend. Nudging him in the side - he didn't move an inch - I grimaced playfully and queried, "Oh-six-hundred, huh?"

"Oh-six-hundred," he affirmed, "thanks, Aurelie."

Shutting the door after him, I pressed my back to the door and frowned, tipping my head back and sighing. Snatching the glasses from my face, I grimaced, pressure building in my head as I let my guard down. I saw through anything, everything, met the gaze of an unknowing florist in the neighboring city and freezing her in her place for a good thirty seconds, mid-conversation, accidentally saw two skeletons intertwined atop a table in the middle of some steamy sex…

Eyes snapping shut, I shoved the glasses onto my face and slowly cracked an eyelid open, peering through the unassuming lenses; the tension drained from my shoulders and I raked a shaky hand through my hair.

 _That's why, May,_ I slid down the door, elbows on my knees as I massaged away the growing ache at the base of my skull, _that's why._

/

Welcome one and all! I hope you enjoyed this little tidbit! Please review; I'd love to see what you all think!


	2. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed the first installment of _Window to the Soul_! I forgot to mention that it is going to be a Bucky/OC fic in the last chapter, though it may take a while to get there. Please read and review, and as always enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own _Marvel_ , or any of its characters. Unfortunately.

/

Chapter One

Fuck Steve Rogers and his oh-six-hundred hours.

Grumbling to myself, I rested my forehead against the peeling, green door and struggled to lock up. Purse under one arm, I nearly dropped my keys, sloshing my cappuccino across my wrist in an effort to catch them. Cursing, I finally managed to twist the keys the right way and stow them away, pushing off from the door. Flicking my wrist, I blew on my skin, soothing the burn from the scalding liquid.

"Hey!"

Starting violently, I flung my drink and shrieked. Spinning on a heel, I scowled at an exceedingly sheepish Peter, the now empty cup in his hand, "What the _fuck_ , Pete?"

"Sorry, I thought you heard me," he shrugged jerkily, offering me the cup with a grimace, "I can get you another. You headed out? Where're you going? You're not usually up before, like, ten."

"One," I raised a finger and shot him a warm, tired smile, "don't worry about it; I can stop somewhere, get another. Two, how do you know what time I get up? You been stalking me? I knew you dug me, Petey. And, three, that's classified."

"Classified?" he inquired, brows high and eyes bright as he fell in step beside me as we ambled toward the elevator, shouldering his backpack and staring down at me, "what do you mean? Like, you headed to the police station or something?"

Rolling my eyes, I tossed the cup in the trash and jabbed the down button with a thumb, "Who am I - Batman? Course not. Maybe I just have a hot date."

"At five in the morning?" he queried skeptically, trailing after me into the elevator and leaning against the wall. Folding his arms across his chest, he offered me a triumphant grin. "You _never_ get up this early _and_ you're doing something classified; and I don't know what you actually _do_ -"

"Figure of speech, Pete," I snorted, departing the elevator and rolling my eyes over my shoulder at the teen, "and you know _exactly_ what I do. I write."

"That's what you _say_ you do," he stuffed his hands into his pocket as we stepped into the crisp, morning breeze, "but you don't actually, like, _work_ …"

"Obviously you've never written a novel," I mused derisively, strolling toward the curb and scouring the street. No sign of my taxi, of course. Fishing my phone from my purse, I glanced at my phone.

 _This cab doesn't show up in the next few minutes and I'm not gonna make it,_ I exhaled heavily, _Steve's gonna have my ass._

"Fuck, I'm gonna be late."

"For what?"

Shooting Peter an amused glance, I shook my head, "A for effort, kid. Damn; too bad that Spiderman guy doesn't provide, like, uber service."

From the corner of my eye, I watched him shift uncomfortably next to me; through his jeans and tee, his hoodie, I caught a glimpse of red and blue. Of course I knew my adorkable neighbor was Spiderman. With a power like mine, it wasn't hard to find out. I saw his suit, saw him practicing his newly discovered skills through the walls, saw him come in through his window at two, three in the morning.

Though, he honestly wasn't the most subtle superhero out there. The bruises, the complete and utter lack of a good cover story for them… How his aunt didn't realize who he was, what he could do, I'd never know.

"Yeah, yeah, that'd be cool," he agreed fervently, avoiding any and all eye contact under the guise of searching for my taxi on the empty streets, "but he, well, he probably has better things to do. You know, fight crime?"

"Or go to school," I mused, fighting a grin as he blanched, shrugging innocently and continuing, "or work. He's gotta have a job or something, right? All those superheroes do…"

Well, okay, a good majority of them didn't. Thor was a prince, Steve ran the Avengers. Tony just built suits day in and day out, almost all of the X-Men worked at Xavier's school, and Wade just did whatever the fuck he wanted.

And, well, I was doing my best to make it in the writing world, but Tony's monthly _donations_ did wonders for me keeping my apartment, for not having to find a real job. Guess lending a billionaire a hand in saving the world really paid off.

But Pete didn't know any of this and, frankly, didn't need to.

He was a little too young to go out there, especially without the proper training. I had yet to work up the gumption to admit my identity to him, let alone offer him guidance.

"Well, I gotta run," Peter offered a quick wave, "hope your taxi comes soon!"

With that, he was jogging off to school.

 _Or_ around the corner to strip off his street clothes, leaving him in his poorly put together suit. I watched him adjust the goggles over his eyes through the brick wall; he lurked there for a moment, shifting from foot to foot before crawling up the side of the building. Crossing quickly over the roof, he shot his handmade webbing from his wrists and he swung down beside me just as I spun back toward the road.

Feigning surprise, I gaped up at him, "What the hell?!"

"Hi!" he exclaimed brightly, though he did make a poor attempt at a deepening his tone, "don't freak out! Just your friendly neighborhood Spiderman."

"Holy shit, dude, what are you doing here?"

"I was, well, I was just in the area and you - well, it seemed like you were maybe… waiting for a taxi?" he stuttered questioningly, his shoulders slumping as he toyed with his fingers, "or something?"

"Uh, yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing," I replied with a laugh, raking a hand through my hair, "jeez, my buddy, Peter- he _just_ left. He would've _loved_ to meet you; he talks about you all the time."

"Sounds like a cool kid," he replied, a hint of pride in his voice, his spine stiffening, "um, well, I can always give you a lift. To wherever it is you need to go."

"You don't have anywhere you need to be?" I queried leadingly, tilting my head to one side, brows high on my forehead, "a job? School?"

"A job!" he exclaimed, waving a finger in my direction as though pointing out the job in midair, "ob-obviously I'm Spider _man_ , not Spider… kid. But I've got time. Where are you going?"

"Classified," I replied with a smirk, watching his shoulders slump in defeat and settling myself on the curb. Might as well make myself comfortable while I waited.

He straightened again, dropping himself beside me gracelessly and resting his forearms on his knees, "Not telling me seems suspicious. You could be dangerous. Kinda seems like you could be a criminal if you won't say where you're headed."

 _Nice damn try, Pete_ , I snorted inwardly. Gesturing to my unassuming form, I rolled my eyes and huffed, "Do I _look_ like a dangerous criminal?"

I was, after all, only five feet tall. Not all that intimidating, though it did give me an advantage; no one ever thought I was a threat until I had their asses on the ground.

Speterman was about to protest when a beat-up yellow cab came flying up before us, sending us scrambling away from the curb in an effort not to get bowled over. It screeched to a halt and I jerked a thumb at it, grinning, "Catch ya 'round, Spidey."

Brushing off my ass, I watched him take off on his spider web before slipping into the backseat. Settling myself against the grubby leather, I met the stunned cabbie's gaze; he quickly scanned the skies for any sign of Peter, querying, "You know the Spiderman?!"

 _Oh, bud, you have_ no _idea._

/

The taxi was a ruse, taking me a few blocks west before depositing me in front of an unassuming cafe just off of Main. I knew Peter wouldn't follow me; he had to catch two buses to get to school on time. He easily could've made it there in less than ten minutes if he went as Spiderman, but he was completely and utterly smitten with a girl in his math class. Mary Jane, maybe?

Yeah, a pretty redhead or discovering my "classified job"?

He'd take the redhead every time.

A fresh cappuccino in hand, I took a self-driven Audi to the outskirts of the Avengers base. As the sleek, black vehicle pulled up the only road in or out of the facility, I thanked FRIDAY for keeping me company. Tony was apparently supposed to be there, but was in his lab, hungover or working frenetically on his latest suit.

Still, the AI was surprisingly good company, updating me on the goings-on around the facility in her sassy Irish accent. The new recruits were doing well, their training hard - with Nat as their instructor, I expected no less - but effective. Wanda had never had more control over her powers, Vision was learning more and more of our human customs, and Pietro was, quite literally, running laps around the others.

I could've joined them. Honestly, I probably should have. I came to their aid more than a few times, as Steve and Nat so smugly pointed out; it wasn't that I was unwilling to use my gifts for the greater good. I had and I would continue to do so, when I thought it was right. Worthy.

But I had other things to worry about than devoting my life to fighting, especially for organizations I didn't trust. SHIELD had tried and failed to recruit me several times, but I couldn't help but be suspicious of their motives half the time. Not to mention, Nick Fucking Fury was more than a little untrustworthy. And, of course, Hydra had immersed itself so deeply within the agency; people I thought I knew, people I trusted, ended up on the wrong side of the law.

So I was a part time vigilante, only involving myself when requested and, sometimes, not even then.

"Well if it ain't Golden Globes…"

Beaming, I clambered out of the car, bidding FRIDAY goodbye and jogging up to the one and only Tony Stark. With his signature swagger, he ambled up to me, dressed in jeans and a faded Black Sabbath tee, sunglasses over his dark eyes. He shoved them onto his forehead, the crow's feet around his chocolate, doe eyes more pronounced than ever as he grinned.

Wrapping my arms around him, I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, "Thanks for picking me up."

"Technically I did," he replied, leaning back, arms wrapped loosely around my waist. Brows high and eyes wide in innocence, he pouted, "I programmed the car, sent FRIDAY to come pick you up. I even chose _the Essential Backstreet Boys_ for your listening pleasure."

"And I'll forever appreciate that," I laughed, snorting and disentangling myself from him. He draped an arm over my shoulder and we fell in step, strolling across the lush grass toward the base. " _But_ I hoping you'd be there. Though, can't say I'm surprised; the fact that you're even up _now_ is astonishing."

" _Astonishing_?" he mimicked, his tone exceedingly shrill - _Christ, I hope I don't sound like that_ , "little strong, isn't it? 'Somewhat surprising,' that's more like it. Sometimes I'm awake at this hour."

"Only after you've pulled an all-nighter," I teased, "I remember your Malibu house parties, Tone."

"Ugh, don't remind me," he rolled his eyes skyward and winced, the memories of his wild nights partying obviously still fresh in his mind, "Cap would blow a gasket."

"No doubt," I agreed, separating myself from the billionaire and pressing a thumb to the access panel beside the door. It slid open with a soft hiss, granting me access to the high-tech facility I rarely frequented. A few people trotted here and there, those still loyal to SHIELD and the Avengers; Tony had them doing odd jobs, be it hacking, researching, hell, getting him his favorite coffee… "He's never seen you at your worst, has he?"

"Define 'worst,'" Tony smirked, trailing after me and shooting me a flirtatious wink. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he strode backwards, away from me, nearly sending several agents toppling to the ground and snorting in amusement as they scrambled out of his way. "Gotta run, GG. Got a speech at MIT this mornin'. That is, unless you wanna take my private jet to Jamaica? Promise I'll make it worth your while. Margaritas on the beach, skinny dipping in the ocean… I know you love that…"

While I most certainly _did_ , I didn't admit it to the likes of him, not when he was in his playboy mode. I didn't dare mention Pepper, either; I knew the pair had separated and Tony's default response was to fall back into his whorish ways. Though I doubted he would actually betray Pep physically, he wasn't at all above hitting on anyone with a vagina, whether they wanted him to or not.

He was hurting, though, that I could see, so instead of worsening his pain by bringing up the Stark Industries CEO and having an unwelcome heart-to-heart, I nodded once, offering him a saucy wink of my own, "Sure thing. Once I'm done with this Mystique business, I'm down. Pick me up at one, 'kay?"

Pointing a finger at me, he grinned triumphantly, "You got it. I won't be late. Well, maybe, but don't hold it against me. Only thing I want you holding against me is that gorgeous body…"

"Tony."

The disapproval in Steve's tone was palpable and the dark-eyed billionaire grimaced, exaggerating only slightly, "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're a 90-year-old stick-in-the-mud virgin, Capscicle. Got it. Don't get your panties in a bunch; I was just teasing our little Medusa, here. Course I don't want her all up on me. That'd be gross."

He stuck his tongue out and feigned a shudder, casting me a sidelong wink and mouthing, ' _love you, boo.'_

Chuckling, I rolled my eyes affectionately, "How many times do I have to tell you, Tone? Can't turn a guy to stone with these bad boys."

" _Yet_ ," he lifted a finger, holding his hands up in surrender as Steve cleared his throat, "alright, alright; I'm out. One o'clock, Aury!"

"One o'clock," I agreed laughingly before scaling the steel steps and approaching the Captain. He had already donned his uniform, his shield slung across his back and his arms folded tightly across his chest. His jaw and gaze were hard, his mouth set in a firm line. He looked ready for battle. "Going somewhere? I thought this Mystique thing wasn't until noon? Intel said-"

"Change of plans, Aurelie," he sighed, rubbing his jaw vigorously, gesturing for me to follow him. Shooting me an apologetic grin, he continued, "Sorry I got you out of bed so early."

Waving him off, I pressed curiously, "What is it, then? Is it Bucky? I can always come with; clear his mind, keep him from running… give you a chance to talk to him."

There was a distant, wistful glint in Steve's lovely azure eyes and I knew he wanted nothing more than just that. It wasn't the case, though, when he admitted, "It's not Bucky. Close, though."

He could only be referring to Hydra, and we had taken care of the major players surrounding Bucky and the incident in D.C.

All but one.

"Rumlow?"

"Rumlow," Steve affirmed with a short nod.

Well, shit.

The Avengers hadn't been this close to finding the crazed ex-SHIELD agent in weeks; to think they could nab him before the day was done was exciting to say the least. I was glad for them; this _Crossbones,_ as he was now calling himself, was a piece of shit. He needed to be dealt with, and fast.

"Well, I can still handle Mystique," I lifted a shoulder, "it should be quick, pretty easy, too. We don't need the whole team."

Steve shook his head, guiding me into the command center, where Natasha, Sam Wilson, and Wanda awaited me, "Xavier's got his men on it. That Wolverine's got it covered; something about payback being a… well, you know."

Meeting Sam's gaze from across the room, we shared an amused smirk at Steve's reluctance to say even the tamest of curses.

"So that means you came all this way for no reason," Steve continued, though he didn't sound altogether apologetic. Instead, quirking a brow, an almost playful smile crossed his face as he queried, "You ever been to Lagos?"

/

Alrighty, so, here we go! No Bucky yet, but a little more of her friendship with Peter and the wonderful Tony. Please, _please_ tell me what you think. I thrive on feedback and I promise, it gets chapters out quicker!

NESSAANCALIME6913: thanks! I hope it keeps your interest :)

Aandm20: thank you! I'm already really enjoying writing it, so I hope you liked this chapter too!

Guest: thanks! I'm glad you think so!


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: Hi all! Everyone seems to be enjoying the story so far! I'm glad. I just saw Civil War for the third time yesterday… ugh, love it so much.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, Jon Snow.

Chapter Two

 _"Well, I can still handle Mystique," I lifted a shoulder, "it should be quick, pretty easy, too. We don't need the whole team."_

 _Steve shook his head, guiding me into the command center, where Natasha, Sam Wilson, and Wanda awaited me, "Xavier's got his men on it. That Wolverine's got it covered; something about payback being a… well, you know."_

 _Meeting Sam's gaze from across the room, we shared an amused smirk at Steve's reluctance to say even the tamest of curses._

 _"So that means you came all this way for no reason," Steve continued, though he didn't sound altogether apologetic. Instead, quirking a brow, an almost playful smile crossed his face as he queried, "You ever been to Lagos?"_

/

The trip to Lagos was passing far quicker than I'd expected; with Tony's tech, however, I wasn't surprised. His jets were the fastest in the world; no military, no organization could come close. Not even SHIELD - when they were up and running, that is.

We would reach the African city before one.

"Ya know, I'm missin' out on margaritas and skinny-dipping in the ocean for this," I frowned, sitting cross-legged on the uncomfortable grated flooring across from Sam. Eyes narrowed and lips pursed, I examined my cards and queried, "Got any 5s?"

Sam eyed his hand critically, before smirking triumphantly, "Go fish."

Skinning an eye in his direction, I scanned his cards; no fives. With a sigh, I reached for the deck as he queried, "How's your neighbor? The spider kid? He doin' alright?"

"So far," I nodded, offering him a four from my hand when he asked, "he's a little gung ho, but he's good. He's been sticking mostly to small-time crooks - purse snatchers and stuff. He's fine with them; they're cake. I wouldn't wanna see him go up against anyone we have. He'd never stand a chance."

"He would if you let Cap and Nat train him."

"He's just a kid."

It was a weak excuse, I knew, and so did Sam. He shot me a disbelieving glance and made to argue. Chewing on the tip of my tongue and hoping to avoid any further argument, I opted for a cheery, "Got any 8s?"

He shook his head; lifting my gaze, I caught sight of the two 8s in his hand and smirked, "Liar."

He threw his cards to the floor, leaping to his feet and exclaiming dramatically, "This is why no one likes to play games with you Aury!"

"Ah, but you don't hate me when we hit Vegas, do you?" I laughed, abandoning my own hand and stretching my legs out before me. Sam offered me a hand, hauling me to my feet.

"Did I say no one liked to play games with you?" he laughed, an innocent grin stretched across his face, "I meant we all _love_ it. Absolute best time ever."

"Though we _do_ prefer playing video games," Natasha quipped from the cockpit, throwing a grin over her shoulder as I eyed her curiously, "less chance of you cheating."

Tipping my head to the side, I shrugged; she had a point.

"Ya know, margaritas and skinny-dipping _does_ sound a lot more tempting than chasing down Rumlow…," Sam noted, making himself comfortable in one of the plush seats along the wall. Leaning his head back, his eyes drifted shut, probably envisioning just that if the grin on his face was anything to go by. Thank God we couldn't make eye contact; I didn't want to see whatever raunchy shit he was conjuring up in that mind of his.

"With Stark?" Wanda queried, looking up from her book and glancing at the man beside her, wrinkling her nose, "pass."

One hand to my mouth in feigned surprise, I gasped, waving a wild finger in her direction, "I'm telling him you said that!"

"Go ahead," she laughed, marking her book and resting it in her lap. With a light shrug and an amused smirk, she continued, "His ego could do with a bit of deflating."

"Nat?" I inquired, dropping myself beside Sam and kicking my feet up onto his lap. I watched her flaming mane pop back into view and shook my head in feigned disgust, "Do you agree with this travesty?"

"He's still hot," she admitted easily, wiggling her eyebrows as Wanda gagged, "and free drinks? Count me in."

"Can we focus on the mission and _not_ skinny-dipping with Stark, please?"

The captain emerged from the cockpit, slinging his shield across his back and grimacing. His eyes fell to the cards Sam and I had so haphazardly left strewn across the floor; pinning us with a glance that read _very irritated mother_.

Sharing an amused grin with the Falcon, I offered Steve my most innocuous smile, complete with wide eyes and fluttering lashes, "Sorry, Mom."

With a flick of her wrist, Wanda cleaned up the mess, the cards sliding together into a neat little deck surrounded by a bright, red glow. Thanking her with a silent, grateful grin, I removed my feet from Sam's lap and rounded on the captain.

I wasn't the only one.

Sam folded his arms across his chest, shooting Steve an incredulous frown, " _I_ was thinkin' more along the lines of these three gorgeous ladies, Cap," he shot Wanda a wink, laughing as the captain chided him with an embarrassed blush, "couldn't get much better than that."

As Steve's ears took on an impressive shade of red, I interjected sternly, "Sam, that's enough." Before relief could flood his face, I smiled slyly, "Maybe _after_ we get Rumlow."

Sam snorted and Cap simply shook his head, rolling his eyes skyward as though in a silent prayer to save him from our mischievous tag team. That prayer was answered when Nat rose from her seat and joined us in the rear of the jet, announcing our imminent arrival.

Cap nodded resolutely, ordering Sam into his gear. As the pair of them split off, the Falcon to change and Steve to ensure all of our ear pieces were in working order, I eyed them appreciatively, muttering, "You know, skinny-dipping on the beach with Cap…"

"Now _that_ would not be so bad," Wanda mused, brows quirked in contemplation, her eyes drifting toward the captain's decidedly incredible backside.

As Nat tied the sash around her coat, she queried curiously, eyes flashing deviously, "Have you ever checked him out? You know, the eye thing?"

"Nat, are you suggesting that I might've looked _through_ those gloriously tight jeans?" I queried, aghast, though I couldn't help slide my glasses down the bridge of my nose and glance in his direction. Offering my companions a saucy wink, I declared, " _Never_."

Spinning on a heel and retrieving my thigh holster, I couldn't help but laugh as Nat muttered, "Fuckin' _lucky_."

/

As Nat and Cap tag-teamed training Wanda in the middle of a busy cafe across from the Lagos police station, I sat patiently on a rooftop beside Sam. Legs dangling from the edge of the building, I lightly kicked my heels against the stone and removed my glasses from my face. As he fiddled with the controls on his wrist, I scanned the perimeter, seeking out anything that would lead me to Rumlow.

It was difficult, what with the hundreds of people out and about on such a warm, sunny day. Not to mention, all of the _additional_ people busy with their daily lives behind thick walls and closed doors made it twice as hard.

But, as my gaze flicked to and fro, steel and concrete and brick became translucent; I could see anyone and everyone.

Unfortunately.

I ignored most, their daily tasks menial, their shopping trips trivial; I was looking for full body armor and automatic weapons. And that stupid fucking helmet Rumlow had begun wearing, taking to calling himself _Crossbones_.

But the streets surrounding the police station were clear. The Range Rover Cap pointed out was bullet proof, yes, but also empty. A quick sweep of the surrounding buildings were clear as well; no suspicious behavior, no mercenaries…

The owner might have been paranoid, yes, but they certainly weren't worth looking into.

"I'm not seein' anything, guys," I announced with a frown, brow furrowed in confusion. I slipped my glasses back over my face for a moment to ease the pressure building behind my eyes and dropped my chin to my chest. I couldn't rest for long; though Sam had Redwing, it couldn't _quite_ do everything I could and if Rumlow slipped past us, it would be on me.

A heavy hand rested on my shoulder and my companion queried, concerned, "You doin' alright, Aury?"

The inquiry didn't go unnoticed by the others, and Steve's voice crackled to life in my ear, inquiring sharply, "What's going on? Everything okay?"

Cracking an eye and squinting against the sun, I offered him a grin, "Yup. Just needed a quick break. No worries, really."

"I don't know how you handle it, Aury," Sam shook his head, "all that input…"

"She's a boss, that's how," Nat complimented with a laugh and I shook my head, tapping the corner of my glasses, "Nope, just these babies. It's kinda like Scott Summers; the glasses definitely help."

"And they give you that sexy librarian look," Sam grinned, offering me a wink through his red-tinted goggles, "which, I gotta say, I'm a huge fan of."

Snorting and blowing him a kiss, I laughed as Steve scolded him before ordering, "Well, if it gets too much, take a break, Aurelie. Alright, folks, eyes on target. This is the closest we've gotten to Rumlow in six months. We can't lose him again."

"Don't think that'll be a problem, Cap," Sam replied with a huff, "if he sees us coming. He kinda hates us."

"Feeling's mutual," I scoffed, shoving the glasses into my hair and skimming the streets once more, "it's weird, though. I don't see him anywhere, him or his men. If they're hitting the police station, they're sure as shit taking their time."

"Sam, Aurelie, garbage truck headed east, away from the station," the captain stated suddenly, drawing my attention away from the surrounding area and bringing me to my feet in an instant, "what's in it?"

Sam released Redwing from the suit on his back as I stared at the racing vehicle. Though I couldn't exactly weigh it like his little electronic bird could, I could certainly see it wasn't hauling garbage. As it plowed into cars and vendors' stalls alike, I advised warily, "Metal. Lots of it, Cap, this thing is loaded."

"And the driver's armed," Sam announced disconcertedly, clasping onto my wrist and drawing me to his chest. Immediately, he dove from the rooftop, dropping me onto the street below and jettisoning off to get Cap.

Couldn't say I was surprised - or disappointed.

I didn't have a suit of armor and explosives like he did. I couldn't withstand the shit Cap could. I _could_ blast them into oblivion if I concentrated hard enough, but I preferred to save _that_ little treat for criminals and villains in less populated areas. It was too unpredictable, too uncontrollable.

What I had were guns, three of them, and I knew how to use them.

Taking off on foot down the road, I dodged confused and frightened citizens, offering half-hearted apologies over my shoulder when I plowed into one who didn't heed my warnings. Wanda was hot on my heels, the pair of us dashing along the path created by the out of control garbage truck.

Ten blocks ahead, I watched as two unmarked moving trucks passed through the demolished remains of the entrance of the Institute for Infectious Diseases, followed by several more military-grade trucks. Through their steel bodies, I could see the men within, peering through the gas masks they had donned.

One of them had that fucking helmet.

"He's here, Cap," I pressed the bud deeper into my ear, "Rumlow. And he's got a good fifteen men with him."

"This is not good," Wanda groaned as we neared, "if it were just the police station-"

"He can do much worse with something in there," I agreed, scrambling over the rubble as we reached the institute, somewhat envious of the Sokovian as she easily used her abilities to lift herself over the debris.

Righting myself on the other side, I watched as Cap took down one of Rumlow's mercenaries from atop an army green Hummer. He easily jumped to his feet on the vehicle's roof, announcing, "Aurelie, I'm counting ten hostiles outside."

"Six inside, including Rumlow," I replied with a quick glance at the building, "and some sort of gas. Poisonous and lethal. I can't see any heartbeats."

"I need to get inside," Cap announced, lips set in a firm line, "Wanda, like we talked about."

"What about the gas?" she queried, brows furrowed in concern.

"Get it out. Aurelie, I want you, Natasha, and Sam to take out the rest of these guys out here."

With that, Wanda lifted Steve with her powers, the captain surrounded in bright red waves, and sent him through one of the windows. She then set to work siphoning the gas from the building, while I turned quickly, seeking out the closest mercenary.

He was behind an armored truck, sneaking up on me, an assault rifle in hand. Running toward the vehicle, I reached out, pushing up off of the hood of the vehicle with both hands and flinging myself over to his side. He raised the gun in surprise, but the force of my attack sent us both tumbling to the ground. Before he could fend me off, I caught his gaze; he fell limply against the cement, his azure gaze becoming unfocused, glassy.

Stripping him of his rifle, sidearms, and knives, I retrieved a zip-tie from the pocket of my leather jacket and lashed his hands and feet together. Though that wouldn't work for everyone, it worked for him, and the less people I could kill, the better I felt. Not to mention, the next time he woke, he would have zero inclination to take on any of us; he was, as of this moment, renouncing his HYDRA ways.

Rising to my feet, I quickly scanned my surroundings. Though I didn't typically look through the back of my skull, it would've been useful. A solid form tackled me to the ground, the weight like a ton of bricks against my back. I bucked against him even as he slammed my face into the pavement, reaching for the gun at my thigh. He caught the move, latching onto my wrist and yanking it high overhead.

He dropped his face beside my head, lips curving against the shell of my ear, "Whatcha gonna do now, sweetheart?"

I didn't answer, instead flinging my head back and slamming my skull into his jaw. Pain exploded through my head, though I heard a resounding crack on his end and smirked. Throwing a quick elbow behind me, I connected with his chest and rolled out from beneath him. Before I could leap to my feet, he latched onto my ankle, slashing wildly at my face with a foot-long serrated blade.

The pistol was in my hand before I could blink; leveling it at his face, I pulled the trigger and grimaced at the result. Blood and brains exploded from his skull and he fell back onto the ground, unmoving. Hauling myself upright, I tapped the bud in my ear, "Cap, how's it going in there?"

"Rumlow's got some kind of biological weapon," he replied, "any sign of him out there?"

Not in the courtyard.

Spinning, I searched in every direction for the bastard that had turned on SHIELD, led the Avengers of wild goose chase after wild goose chase. I spotted him atop one of the armored trucks about fifty yards away. He was battling Natasha, and she was putting up a helluva fight.

I ran toward the melee, lurching to a halt as he shoved the redhead back into the truck and dropped a grenade in after her. Frozen, I stared through the wreckage, breathing only when I saw my friend haul herself to her feet, more than a little shaken.

Rumlow leapt from the roof and tossed a smirking glance over his shoulder; running at him, I screamed his name.

Though he glanced up at the noise, almost instantly, he dropped his gaze, chuckling hoarsely, "No, uh-uh, Reynolds, you ain't gonna get _me_ with that eye shit. I read your files, saw you on the news; I know all about you. What you can do; the shit you _did_. Why you ain't locked up, hell if I know…"

Raising the gun, I fired off four rounds, fury blazing in my eyes, fire burning through my veins. The bullets bounced harmlessly off of his armor and I cursed my temper, racing toward him and praying he made eye contact.

The little shit didn't.

Not only that, but he had a gun of his own; I had to duck and roll to avoid being hit, stumbling over the debris.

Well, no one could say I was graceful.

As Rumlow clambered into a tank, I scoured the streets for Sam or Wanda. The rounds in my gun certainly weren't powerful enough to penetrate the massive vehicle's armor and I there was no way I could get close enough to either make eye contact with Rumlow.

"Aury, watch out!"

Rumlow would have to wait. Bending just as a man ran at me at full speed, I used my body to trip him, flipping him onto his back and landing a swift kick to his head and neck. His armor did well to protect him, but I yanked the helmet from his head and met his gaze.

Another one down.

Several sudden explosions rang out through the courtyard and I was momentarily deafened. Hands to my ears, I tumbled away from the tank, where Rumlow was busily blowing holes into the side of the building. Though I could see Cap dodge every one, my heart lodged itself in my throat and I turned my attention once more to the armored vehicle.

Dashing toward it, I positioned myself in front of it, staring through the metal and meeting the driver's gaze. His movements became stiff, rigid, as he brought the tank to a grinding halt. Rumlow slammed into the side at the sudden loss of movement, before climbing out and into another truck. This one had at least five others in it, and it took off in an instant.

Rumlow must have warned them about me; none of them so much as turned my way.

"They're getting away with the weapon!"

 _Fuckin' hell. I shoulda gone skinny-dipping with Stark_ …

/

DarylDixon'sLover: Thank you! I'm glad you like her; I'm hoping she fits in well with the rest of them.

Aandm20: Thanks! I know, it wasn't a hard decision to keep him alive. I was so mad when they killed him off!

DeliriousPrincess: Yeah, that was what I was going for. I left it open for if decide I want to make prequels, or even just one-shots. And her backstory will get fleshed out later on. Thanks for pointing those out! I'll have to go back and fix it up. Thanks so much for your review!

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	4. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay! Also, sorry to anyone who tried to read this chapter and saw that it was all wonky; don't know what happened! Thanks to TwilightNewMoonEclipseMidnight for pointing it out!

I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think :) Also, did you guys see the new Doctor Strange trailer?!

Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel :'(

Chapter Three

 _Dashing toward it, I positioned myself in front of it, staring through the metal and meeting the driver's gaze. His movements became stiff, rigid, as he brought the tank to a grinding halt._

 _Rumlow slammed into the side at the sudden loss of movement, before climbing out and into another truck. This one had at least five others in it, and it took off in an instant._

 _Rumlow must have warned them about me; none of them so much as turned my way._

 _"They're getting away with the weapon!"_

Fuckin' hell. I shoulda gone skinny-dipping with Stark…

"Aurelie, go!" Cap shouted through the earpiece, grunting as he ducked and rolled away from Rumlow's next shot, "help Sam; get the weapon!"

"What about you?!" I exclaimed, taking a few hesitating, running steps toward him, "I can stop Rumlow! If I can-"

"It's too dangerous!" he retorted sharply, "go!"

"Ah, fuck!" I groaned, dashing away from the courtyard and ignoring Steve's scolding. It made more sense to stay and help him; with Wanda dealing with the gas and Nat and Sam after the others, that left Cap to his own devices. But he knew what he was doing, at least, I could only hope he did. Sometimes that chivalrous asshole was too damn _good_ for his own good.

It didn't take me long to reach the bazaar, where people dashed about in every direction, screaming at the peril that surrounded them. Peering through stalls and locals and goods, I caught sight of the two mercenaries dashing, unhindered, through the market. A quick glance revealed Nat and Sam after their own baddies, so I shot into the thick of things. Over upturned barrels and overturned food carts, I raced through the crowded alleys after the two men in black.

Golden eyes darting quickly over their forms, I could find no sign of the weapon on either of them. Sweeping my gaze to the left, I zeroed in on one of the men Nat was after. There, in one of his many cargo pockets, lay the vial he and the rest of Rumlow's men had come for.

"Nat, you got him!" I shouted, ignoring her nod of thanks and returning my attention to the men I trailed after.

Though neither of them possessed the biological weapon, that didn't mean they weren't still a threat. They were armed, each with a gun and a foot-long hunting knife, and, with so many people around, there wasn't a chance in hell I would let them be.

Pushing myself further, faster, I maneuvered around and over anyone or anything that got in my way. As I neared one of the men, I ran up onto one of the stalls and dove at him, tackling him to the ground and rolling myself on top of him. He struggled in vain for only a moment; when I captured his gaze, I forced him to forget his mission, his loyalty to Rumlow and HYDRA. He stared blankly at the sky, his brow partially furrowed, no doubt confused by his sudden loss of memory.

Patting him down quickly, I kept my eye in the direction that the other man ran. Retrieving the gun at his hip, I brought it down hard against his temple; I didn't have time to tie him up, not with the other on the run. Certain that he was unconscious, but alive, I hopped to my feet and sped after his companion. He zigged and zagged, this way and that, but I watched him through the wooden walls of the stands, through the bodies of those still panicking and flooding from the market.

When he was certain he had lost me, I dropped low and plowed my shoulder into the back of his legs. He dropped, tumbling through a basket of oranges, but was still about himself enough to reach for his gun. He shot three bullets my way and I could only duck and dive into one of the stalls to avoid him. The gunfire paused momentarily and I narrowed my gaze, watching him through the wall I hid behind as he reloaded and cautiously rose to his feet. His bullet would take me out before I could meet his gaze, I knew.

Cursing under my breath, I brought the gun I had lifted from his fellow merc and leveled it at the wall. Scooting back to avoid the splinters and shrapnel, I unloaded four rounds through the wood. Bits and pieces went flying and I shielded my eyes with a hand; two of the bullets didn't make it through, falling to the dirt uselessly. The other two, however, connected with his thigh, just as I had hoped, and he was down.

Leaping to my feet, I vaulted over the stall, reaching for my zipties and lashing his hands together. He groaned, writhing and reaching for his leg; I met his gaze, blocking the pain from his mind. Tapping the bud in my ear, I rose to my feet, making my way back to the other mercenary, "I've got two of them. Nat, you got the weapon?"

"Yep, thanks, girl. Sam, are you-"

A sudden explosion rocked the bazaar and I instinctively dropped to the ground, hands covering my head. When I was certain I wouldn't be hit, I growled, "What the _fuck_ was that? Cap? Sam?"

"Sam, we need… we need fire and rescue on the southern side of the building…"

Cap was breathless, stunned, and I sought him out through the crowd. He stared, aghast, at a massive white building, the entire side blown to bits. Debris fluttered to the ground and screams began echoing through the streets. Wanda was on her knees, tears flowing freely down her ashen face; hands pressed to her mouth, she sobbed at the chaos I could only assume she had some hand in.

Dashing toward the chaos, I caught her shoulder, meeting her gaze, and knew instantly what had happened. I saw the scene play out through her eyes; Rumlow setting off an explosive vest, her attempt to stop it, the blast that took out concrete and steel and flesh.

Tearing away from her gaze, I jogged toward Cap, who began to escort those still alive from the building. Without a word, I scanned the building, searching for survivors, and entered the rubble, he, Nat, and Sam hot on my heels. I pointed out those trapped beneath concrete slabs and steel beams, the two men working together to free them. Nat lent a shoulder to anyone she could, walking them out to the awaiting ambulances.

Draping a wounded young man's arm over my shoulder, I wrapped my arms around his waist, allowing him to drop his head to my shoulder as I whispered comforting words into his ear. Walking him through the dust and broken glass, easing him into the arms of a waiting EMT.

Staring out over the now empty bazaar, watching bits and pieces fluttering down from the destroyed building, I exhaled heavily, sliding my glasses over my nose and into place. Reaching into my pocket, I tapped four ibuprofen tablets from their bottle and into my hand, tossing them into my mouth and struggling to swallow them dry.

A large, solid form fell into place beside me and I glanced up at the captain. His head was lowered, his jaw set and his brow furrowed, his eyes screwed shut. Scanning him surreptitiously for injuries, I found none and queried softly, "You okay?"

"He taunted me, used Bucky against me," he muttered, rubbing his jaw roughly and avoiding my gaze. I knew he didn't fear me using my powers against him so much as he didn't want me to see the shame that no doubt blazed in those baby blues of his. "Distracted me. I didn't see the vest and then…"

"Steve, you didn't cause this," I shook my head adamantly, catching his elbow and attempting to turn him my way. He didn't budge, so I stepped around him, in front of him. Still, he refused to meet my gaze so I ducked my head; it wasn't hard, he was more than a foot taller than me. He had nowhere to look but me and I fought a triumphant grin when he finally looked at me. I didn't invade his thoughts, his memories; instead I simply offered him as much sympathy as I could with a warm smile. "You didn't. It's not your fault or Wanda's. It's Rumlow's. He caused this. He brought the vest, he fought us, he stole the weapon. He's a bad guy; he thrives on shit like this. He wanted this to happen, and it did. None of it would've happened if it weren't for him. We were just here, trying to stop it. We did our best and we stopped him from using that weapon. We stopped _him_."

"But we didn't stop that," he nodded behind us, a frown still marring his handsome face.

"We can't win 'em all, Steve," I shrugged helplessly, "we just have to do the best we can and hope that that's enough. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. People died today and it's terrible; I'm gonna have nightmares tonight, but we did do _some_ good today and that has to count for something."

He dropped his gaze, lifting only his eyes, a tiny grin appearing on his face, "You know, your pep talks remind me of someone."

"Peggy?"

"Bucky. I think he'd like you a lot."

"Well when we find him and get him back on track, we'll see about that," I laughed, hugging him tightly, "you did great today, Steve. You all did. You Avengers are such badass mother-"

" _Aury_ ," he chuckled despite himself, resting his chin on the top of my head, "you did good, too. Still don't know why you won't consider joining us, but I sure appreciate the help."

"Anytime, Cap'n, anytime."

/

Tiredly shoving the door of the SUV open, I climbed out along with the others, intent on heading to the driver's seat and having FRIDAY drive me home. The sun had long since set and everyone was dead on their feet; I didn't look forward to the trip back, though I was more than thankful that I wouldn't physically be forced to drive. I could just kick back and fall asleep, a thought that I was all for as my eyes drooped further shut.

"Yo, GG, you stood me up!"

Snorting, I shook my head, forcing my eyes to stay open as I rounded the hood of the SUV and leant against it. Tony, Vision, and Pietro had come out to greet us, the Sokovian wrapping his arms around his bawling sister, Vision watching on sympathetically. Tony only continued to stare at me, his brows high on his forehead, his gaze accusing.

"Uh, I distinctly remember you saying you'd be there to pick me up," I retorted easily, "one o'clock came and went, buddy; no you."

"Yeah, well, things came up," he frowned suddenly, his eyes darkening as he raked a hand through his hair in agitation. I didn't question him, though I knew it had to do with something other than our stint in Lagos.

"Yeah, true," I agreed softly, tugging my glasses from my face, "I better get going, guys. Pete's prob'ly already wondering where the hell I am. Prob'ly out on the streets as Spidey, huntin' me down."

Cap shook his head, as did Tony, the latter strolling to my side and slinging an arm around my shoulders. Pressing a noisy kiss to my temple, the billionaire replied, "Nope. Text him. Tell your radioactive boy-toy that he'll have to miss out on the sleepover tonight. You're having one with us. It's way too late, you're already here, there's an elegantly designed room with your name on it; well, actually, _my_ name on it, but I'm _more_ than willing to share, 'specially with you, GG."

"Do you ever stop, Tony?" Steve queried, shaking his head and rolling his eyes upward, flushing as the dark haired man replied suggestively, "Only when the ladies tell me to."

"Aury, there is a room across from my own," Pietro announced suddenly, his cheek resting atop Wanda's head, his azure eyes meeting mine. I glanced away quickly, willing my face not to redden at the thoughts I saw floating through that silver head of his. "I'm sure the captain will not mind if you take it…"

"No, that was supposed to be yours anyway," Cap agreed, shrugging slightly when I shot him a disbelieving glance, "we didn't honestly think you'd turn it down. But c'mon, let's get inside."

Tony bowed low at the waist as I approached, offering me his elbow, "Milady."

"Lord Stark," I hooked my arm through his, leaning against him as my feet dragged against the sidewalk, "any chance at a piggyback ride?"

"Uh, the Lord of Winterfell does _not_ give out piggyback rides," he replied sharply, though his dark eyes twinkled in amusement, "then _again_ , could be kinda kinky. Ya know what, hop on."

Shoving him away from me, I laughed, "You know nothing, Tony Stark. I need to sleep, not fool around with you. Not to mention-"

 _Pepper would kill me._

I didn't say her name, but Tony knew all the same. He offered me a sad smile and nodded, ruffling my short hair and swallowing his sadness. He beamed, clapping his hands together, "Get some sleep. But if you get the urge, need a late-night booty call-"

"You'll be the first one I call," I winked, though I caught Cap's gaze over his shoulder and solemnly shook my head, pointing at him with another wink.

Cackling, I waved them both off, fishing my phone from my pocket. Strolling toward Pietro and Wanda, I sent Peter a quick text to let him know I wouldn't be around if he came looking for me the next morning. He immediately responded, questioning my whereabouts with about a dozen question marks and exclamation points.

I ignored him for the moment, following quietly after the Sokovian twins. Wanda had ceased crying, but Pietro hadn't let up with his soft, comforting murmurs. The silver-haired man shot me a slight smile over his shoulder, mouthing, ' _one minute'_ as he walked his sister into her room. I lingered, glancing at my phone once more and shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

' _What if someone comes looking for you? Where should I tell them you went? Is this part of that top secret mission you went on this morning?!'_

Rolling my eyes, I responded quickly, ' _Yes. I had to meet with the president and it took longer than I expected. Didn't wanna catch a red eye back from DC. Staying at the White House for the night. See you tomorrow.'_

Tucking the phone away, I gave Pietro a small smile as he returned from the room. He heaved a heavy sigh, raking his hand through his hair, "She will not tell me what happened."

Nodding my head down the hall, I followed after him as he led me to my room. I avoided all eye contact with him, not wanting to see his thoughts, not wanting to know if I was still in them.

"It was an accident," I replied with a sigh, "the explosion. Not her fault, but she doesn't see it that way. She'll need time, but I think she'll be alright. She probably shouldn't be alone tonight."

"I will stay with her," he agreed, "I have always watched out for my baby sister. Now is no different. Though, it should have been me out there, not her. She's not ready."

"She never will be if she doesn't get out there." We stopped before two doors, one on either side of the darkened hallway. "And besides, we needed her skills out there. Though, not gonna lie, could've used yours, too."

"Well, what can I say?" he shrugged, feigning modesty and laughing lightly, "I am good at what I do."

His gaze met mine briefly and I looked away hastily and returned the glasses to my face, "That's true. Well, night, Pietro. I'll see you in the morning?"

Lowering his eyes to the floor, he nodded once. Whether he was embarrassed or not, I couldn't tell; it was far too dark and I don't think I could have handled the flush on his scruffy face. Nor did I want him to see mine.

Waving, I slipped into my room, forcing him to return to his sister and preventing him from mentioning the dangerous thoughts floating through his mind. The way he saw me, the lightness, the warmth he always felt about me… it was overwhelming. Sweet, but overwhelming. And after everything that happened in Lagos, I honestly couldn't handle any more overwhelming thoughts.

With a long-suffering sigh, I threw myself onto the bed in the center of the room. Tossing my glasses onto the end table, I shoved my face into the soft, cool pillow and drifted off.

/

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	5. Chapter 4

Sorry for the delay everyone! I didn't mean for it to happen! I hope you enjoy this chapter :) Please review!

Chapter Four

 _Waving, I slipped into my room, forcing him to return to his sister and preventing him from mentioning the dangerous thoughts floating through his mind. The way he saw me, the lightness, the warmth he always felt about me… it was overwhelming. Sweet, but overwhelming. And after everything that happened in Lagos, I honestly couldn't handle any more overwhelming thoughts._

 _With a long-suffering sigh, I threw myself onto the bed in the center of the room. Tossing my glasses onto the end table, I shoved my face into the soft, cool pillow and drifted off._

/

"Aurelie."

"Fuck what?!"

Flinging up from my bed, I searched wildly for the poshly-accented intruder, throwing punches and kicks that he easily avoided. Though he didn't remove himself from the edge of my bed, Vision simply changed his form, allowing the strikes to go through him rather than take them.

"Was this… inappropriate?" he queried innocently, rising to his feet and staring perplexedly at me, "forgive me; Mr. Stark mentioned entering and waking you himself. I didn't realize-"

"No, Vision, it's… it's cool," I pressed a hand to my heart and swallowed thickly. Raking a hand through my mussed hair, I glanced blearily up at him, "I mean, not the best way to wake someone up. Just knock next time, but don't beat yourself up."

"I wouldn't do such a thing, Aurelie," he replied hastily, before catching himself and pressing a finger to his lips, brows furrowed, "that was a metaphor, no?"

"Yes," I exhaled, reaching my arms out toward my toes and stretching, "God, what time is it? I need to get back to Queens…"

"Actually, Mr. Stark requested your presence downstairs," he noted, peering at his wrist and adding, "and it's noon."

"Noon?" I repeated, aghast, " _shit_ , I didn't mean to sleep that long. I-" _couldn't sleep, not with those goddamn nightmares,_ "-what does Stark want? Why didn't he come himself? Actually, scratch that- probably a good thing he didn't."

I didn't think I could trust Stark in my room while I was vulnerable.

"Right," Vision agreed, rising to his feet and making for the door. It was strange to see him in human clothes, what with the magenta skin and the glowing stone sticking out of his forehead. He stopped at the door, oblivious to my silent observations, and turned back to me, "As for what he wants, there's a man with him. The Secretary of State. A General Ross?"

"Okaayy," I mused slowly, perplexedly, blinking the sleep from my eyes and flinging the blankets from me, "what does he want with me? I'm not part of your team…"

"General Ross requested it," he replied, "and so did Mr. Stark. I believe they seem to think you _are_ part of the team, Aurelie."

Humming, I watched him go and climbed out of bed. I didn't know Ross personally, but I knew him by name. And what I knew wasn't good. He was anything but friendly, a hard, cold man who believed the philosophy of 'my way or the highway' was a way of life.

Which didn't sit well with Bruce Banner, that was for damn sure.

And I didn't think it sat with Tony either, not when he followed that philosophy himself half the time. There was only room for one person's way in that way of life.

So why he had allowed the general in the compound, I couldn't be sure. Nor did I know why he wanted me to be present, either. Despite what Vision said, what Tony and the general might have thought, I wasn't part of the team; whatever they had to discuss didn't include me.

Still, I peered in the mirror, fluffed my hair and smoothed my wrinkled shirt to make myself somewhat presentable. With a yawn, I made my way down the hallway, down the metal staircase, and into the conference room. The others were already there, some greeting me as I entered, albeit surprised at my appearance.

"Aurelie, what-"

Raising my hands in surrender, I shrugged, "I was summoned. Figured it'd be polite to show up. Other than that, though, I'm clueless…"

"I'm not sure how that could be, Ms. Reynolds, after yesterday's fiasco in Lagos."

Rounding on the general, I wasn't surprised by what I saw. An aging man with a rather impressive mustache, dressed in a sharply pressed suit with a no-nonsense black tie. Stuffy, stiff, and no doubt a stickler for the damn rules.

"Oh right, that," I replied sarcastically, pulling up a seat beside Tony, away from the table, "I forgot."

"Funny," the general replied dryly, turning to the monitor beside him and rattling off names and locations where the Avengers - and me, admittedly - had gone and saved the world. Or destroyed it, in his mind. We were a threat, he said, dangerous and worrisome. We killed without a thought - _untrue_ , I mused - and innocent lives were lost in the meantime.

That, I couldn't argue with him on.

"The Sokovia Accords are going to keep you all accountable for your actions," he announced, tossing a heavy book on the table and shoving it toward Wanda, leveling her with a dangerous scowl, "which is something you all desperately need. One hundred seventeen countries are signing in it in three days. With this, all actions by you will be sanctioned by the United Nations. You will not go out on one of your misadventures unless they approve. If you do, consider yourself a traitor to your country and the UN. The Avengers will no longer be a self-governing organization."

Quirking a brow, I met Cap's gaze as he turned and glanced at Tony and I; the Iron Man made eye contact with him for a moment before dipping his head, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Cap's brows furrowed low over his eyes, his jaw clenching intermittently. He wasn't happy.

And neither was I.

"Talk it over," Ross ordered, giving Tony a nod as he made for the door, followed silently by his guard.

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Nat queried, somewhat sarcastically, though the smile never left her face.

"Then you retire."

"And me?" I queried, quirking a brow and staring perplexedly at the general. He stopped, rounding on me and offering me just as confused a look, "What about you?"

"I'm not an Avenger, General, in case you'd forgotten."

He snorted, shaking his head and pursing his lips in disbelief, "Like hell you're not. Ladies. Gentlemen. Three days."

The minute he left the room, the table exploded in chatter.

"Damn, this is fucking serious." "What are they thinking?" "Are they really saying we have no choice?" "How the hell am I an Avenger?"

A round of eye rolls and amused laughs echoed through the room and Tony leaned back in his chair, rubbing his palms on his knees. He shot me a partially amused grin and tilted his head to one side, "You've always been an Avenger, GG. You just never wanted to admit it."

"I never-"

"C'mon, Aury, you're totally one of us," Nat shook her head, "it's been eight years. Too late to back out now."

Throwing my hands in the air helplessly, I shrugged, "Alright, so I guess I'm an Avenger. What are we going to do about the Accords then?"

"What do you mean?" Rhody queried, face twisting in confusion, "there's nothing _to_ do. Sure, he gives us time to talk it over, but this thing is happening. Whether we want it to or not."

"Do we want it to, though?" Pietro queried hesitantly, glancing around the table cautiously, "do any of us want it to happen?"

"Who _doesn't_ want it to happen?" Rhody retorted, rising to his feet and fisting his hands on his hips, "I mean, we _do_ need to be kept in check if you think about it. We don't follow any written rules; we just go in, guns blazing."

"Sometimes that's all that's required, Colonel," Steve noted, grabbing the draft of the Accords and flipping through it, though it was obvious he was distracted, "that's all we can do. We don't have time for someone to decide whether a situation is _necessary_ or _right_. Only we can do that."

"But who are we to make such a decision?" Vision queried calmly, peering at all of our faces, each betraying an array of emotions that he didn't seem to be able to replicate, "what makes our determination on right and wrong any more relevant than another's?"

"Sometimes the line between right and wrong blurs," I admitted, drumming my fingers agitatedly against my knee, "but sometimes, the times we've gotten involved, have been worth it. Right? We've never gotten into a situation that we - and the rest of the world - would've said was potentially _wrong_."

"No, because it's been right," Sam agreed.

"To us," Tony interrupted, standing and stalking to the kitchen, grumbling about coffee grinds in the sink and then expanding an image from his phone, "oh, that's Charles Spencer, by the way. Good kid. 3.6 GPA. Computer engineering degree. After college, he wanted to help people, so instead of going to Vegas, which is what I would've done, or Paris or Amsterdam - sounds fun - he went to Sokovia. He wanted to build affordable housing, at least, he _did_ before we dropped a city on him when we were kickin' ass."

"Innocent people died," Wanda agreed, "some of which we knew. That was our _home_. But… we can't focus on the negative. We _can't_."

No, she certainly couldn't, not after yesterday. I didn't need to remove my glasses to see that.

"Dead people aren't just a _negative_ , Wanda!" Rhody exclaimed, aghast.

"That's not what she meant, Rhodes, and you know it," Pietro muttered, his tone low, dangerous, his gaze flicking from his sister to me, "we know how terrible it is, more than any of the rest of you."

"Uh, _no_ ," Tony scowled, while Steve rolled his eyes to the ceiling. We had all known loss in some form or another, not necessarily more or less than Pietro, but it certainly wasn't the best thing to say to the Iron Man.

" _Regardless_ , the Accords are gonna happen and we have to figure out whether we're going to stand with it or not," Steve shoved the book away, folding his large arms across his chest.

"It's that or retire, Rogers," Tony noted, pushing away from the island in the center of the kitchen, "you heard the general. This is the way it is now."

"It doesn't have to be," Steve retorted, "not if we don't agree with it. This, this document was made by people with agendas. It might not be dangerous at first, but agendas change. And then what? We do what they say? 'Sure thing'?"

His phone buzzed suddenly and he glanced at the message, his face falling, paling. He stood suddenly and powered out of the room, more upset than he had been throughout our argument, "I have to go."

Chewing on my lip, I fought the urge to peer through the wall, through his phone, before standing myself, "I don't agree with this shit. Ross calls, tell him I said that. I better go, too."

"GG-"

"No, I've got stuff to do and - whether I'm an Avenger or not - I can't stay here," I made for the door, before turning back to the others, "I don't care whether or not any of you agree with this. You're still my friends, my team. I'll fight with you, but I won't fight you."

Slipping from the room, I jogged down the steps, calling for one of Tony's many lackeys and asking for a car. Steve stood at the base of the stairs, his head in his hands, and I stopped at his side. Staring up at the taller man, I touched his arm and queried softly, "What happened?"

He glanced down at me, eyes red-rimmed and wet. He chewed on his tongue for a moment before admitting with a sad laugh, "She's gone. Peggy. I-I need to go to London."

"Do you want someone to go with you?" I inquired, frowning and pulling at his arm. He didn't budge for a moment and I scowled half-heartedly, "I'm trying to give you a consoling hug, Cap, and you're not making it easy."

He grinned despite his sadness and enveloped me in a warm hug, "Thanks, Aurelie. And I'll be alright. You go home. I don't think the funeral will be for a few days anyway. If you want to go-"

"Let me know when it is and I'll be there," I replied, pressing a kiss to his cheek and forcing him to look at me, "it'll be okay, Steve. And we're here for you; all of us. Despite what happened upstairs. Give me the details when you get them and I'll come to London with you, 'kay?"

He nodded, offering me a broken thank you, and shooed me toward the door, "Keep an eye on that kid, yeah?"

I offered him a quick salute, grinning, "Of course, Cap."

/

"Aury, you- you're an Avenger."

"Ah, _fuck_. Pete-"

"No, I _saw_ you!" he exclaimed, walking backwards through the hallway and bumping into Creeper Joe and shuddering when he skulked away, "I did! Online! It was quick, but I _saw_ you. I know it was you! And you were gone all day and it makes sense and I don't know where you were last night, but it's gotta be somewhere Avengers-related. Headquarters or, or something."

The wild-eyed teen accosted me the minute I walked into the apartment building, probably using his spider senses or whatever the hell he called them to determine when I was near. He followed me into the elevator, down the hall, and to my door, exclaiming in a rather loud whisper about my secret identity and the disgusting fact that I never told him.

"What do you want me to say, Pete?" I queried, resting my head against my door and groaning when he pumped his feet into the air, "you saw it. I didn't want to tell you. I don't want to tell anyone; it's dangerous. It gets people into situations they shouldn't. You know, same reason you haven't told Aunt May."

He froze, like a teenage deer in the headlights, and wrung his hands together, stuttering, "W-wha-what do you mean? Tell Aunt… tell Aunt May what?"

Jerking my head toward my apartment, I opened the door and ushered him inside. He hesitated, but I pursed my lips impatiently and he reluctantly followed. Dropping myself heavily into a seat at the island, I propped my head up on a fist, staring silently up at him.

He stepped from foot to foot and remained tight-lipped. I stared, unblinking, and he tried desperately to avoid all eye contact.

"C'mon, Pete. I know you're Spiderman just like you know I'm Sage."

"Your codename is Sage?" he queried, jaw slackened in awe, "like, you can, do you know everything? Like, or read minds? Seriously? What- how do you do it? Like, is it some genetic mutation, or-"

"Pete, calm down," I laughed, pressing a hand to his shoulder and forcing him to sit beside me, "it's not that. I mean, it's a lot. I guess I'm kinda all-knowing, if you wanna look at it that way. When I look people in the eye. I can do… a lot of things when I look people in the eye."

"So the glasses…"

"They help," I replied, nodding, "I take them off, bad things can happen. Sometimes. I've got it under control, though, mostly. But you… you're Spiderman. I know you are."

"Can you… see through walls?" he queried, flushing red, and turning away from me in embarrassment, "is that one of your things?"

"Yup," I nodded, nudging him playfully, "but don't worry; I don't _always_ stare through your walls. I'm not a perv, Pete. Not like you."

He laughed and shook his head, ducking it sheepishly before sighing heavily, "Yeah. I'm Spiderman. But you _can't_ tell Aunt May. She wouldn't believe you and if she did, she'd freak out. Make me stop, but I can't. I have to-"

"I get it, Pete," I squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, "I do. You do it for the same reasons I do. You have to help. But you don't want people to know; you don't want to hurt them, or get them hurt. Which is why I don't tell people either; why I didn't tell you. Get it?"

He nodded, lips drawn to one side as he smirked, "I _knew_ you were doing top secret stuff, Aury, but I didn't think it was _Avengers_ top secret."

"Well, I didn't even admit I was an Avenger til today, bud," I snorted, rolling my eyes, "but yes, the stuff I go off to do is Avengers level top secret."

"So what took you so long today?" he queried, folding his arms atop the counter and staring curiously up at me, "were you cleaning up after yesterday? What happened? I saw what Scarlet Witch did…"

"It has to do with that, yeah," I sighed, rifling through the cabinets and retrieving a bottle of vegetable oil and flour, "but it's kind of… well, don't worry about it, kid. Just business."

"But we're both superheroes, Aury," he offered me a boyish grin, "you can tell me. I can even help-"

"Uh-uh, no way, Pete," I mused sharply, "I'm not dragging you into this. If you're not part of the Avengers, you don't have to worry about this crap. Just stick with the guys you're picking up for now. Maybe I can help you. I know-"

"Oh my God, Aury, will you _train me_?!" he queried excitedly, nearly bouncing off of his stool, an excited little puppy if ever I saw one, "we could be a team and then I could join the Avengers and we could fight crime and it would be _so frickin' awesome!_ "

"How 'bout I make you muffins and give you some pointers for now?" I bartered.

He beamed, nodding fervently, "I'll take it!"

/

So no Bucky yet, but I'm hoping I can work him into the next chapter. If not, it'll be the one after for sure! I'm sorry it's been awhile since I've updated; I've been working on another Bucky/OC called Frumusete, and then I just started a Faraday/OC for Magnificent Seven. Please check them out! I'd really appreciate it!

Fat Old Sun: haha yeah it looks pretty wild! I think it's gonna be great!

Food Lover 1: Thanks! I'm glad you do! I love your username too haha

Aandm20: oh yeah, I can't wait for that to happen! He's not gonna be thrilled, that's for sure!

Inperfection: haha yeah, I couldn't kill him off! I hated that they did, so he's alive in mine lol

Kaayrakoi: Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! I was hoping it would be a unique skill and I'm really glad she doesn't come off as a Mary Sue. Yay!

Kallmered: haha I will, don't worry! Andn I'm glad you like it!

Verrokami: haha aww thank you! That's so nice of you! :D


	6. Chapter 5

Sorry for the delay everyone! I really didn't intend for it to take this long! I hope you're all still out there!

Chapter Five

 _"Oh my God, Aury, will you train me?!" he queried excitedly, nearly bouncing off of his stool, an excited little puppy if ever I saw one, "we could be a team and then I could join the Avengers and we could fight crime and it would be so frickin' awesome!"_

 _"How 'bout I make you muffins and give you some pointers for now?" I bartered._

 _He beamed, nodding fervently, "I'll take it!"_

Peter sat on the cozy, leather couch, staring over the arm at me in awe as I worked the muffins out of the tin and arranged them on a plate. I didn't need to spare the young crime fighter a glance; the weight of his gaze had followed me about the kitchen since I had forced him to take a seat and stop pestering me with questions.

At least he had sat down.

"So how many superheroes do you know?" he queried, chin propped up on a fist as he watched me, "like, the Avengers and stuff? Who else?"

"A ton of people," I replied vaguely, tossing him a muffin and smirking as he caught it with his amazing reflexes, only to drop it on his lap and wave his hand in pain at the heat of it, "it's good to make connections when you're in this line of work. Never know who you might need to ask for a favor."

"Do you know, like, _Wolverine?_ " he inquired excitedly, sitting up on his knees, eyes wild with excitement, "and Deadpool? What about Daredevil? Do you have an _archnemesis_ , Aury?!"

"Uh, not unless you count carbs," I winked, leaning against the island and lifting a shoulder, "I think by extension I might've picked up a few enemies; Loki's not too happy with me, I'd think. Magneto, Sabretooth. Most of the other big baddies I've come across are dead now, or locked up for life. Can't really do anything to me when they're behind bars. And those guys, yes I know them. Not Daredevil so well, but-"

My phone buzzed and I retrieved it, opening Steve's text and frowning. The funeral for Peggy was in two days; contrary to what I expected, it seemed as though her family had expected her passing to be sooner rather than later and arrangements had already been made. That made it the day before the Sokovian Accords were to be signed. If Steve - or I - wanted to be back in time for it, we would have to plan our travel time out.

I didn't think he'd go for that, though.

And, in all honesty, I didn't really feel comfortable putting myself in a room with hundreds of people who didn't want my help or, probably even felt safe in my company.

So I simply replied that I would be ready to travel when he was and that I could make the arrangements if necessary. He told me that Peggy's family was handling it, and that he, Sam, and I wouldn't have to worry about the light or the hotel. We were to leave the next afternoon, get settled, and go to the church the following morning.

I hadn't realized Peter was still grilling me until he hopped onto the island beside me, peering over my shoulder and reading my texts, "Are you texting _Captain America_?!"

/

I met up with Sam and Steve the next afternoon at La Guardia, offering the troubled super soldier a sympathetic smile. Rubbing his arm, I queried, "How ya holding up, Cap?"

He managed a smile, though it didn't meet his bright blue gaze, and shrugged helplessly, "I'm alright. I just… it's not fair, ya know?"

"I know," I sighed, wrapping him in a warm hug and patting his back, "you know we're here for you, right? Me and Sam."

"I'm not here for hugs, though," the Falcon replied with an exaggerated eye roll, clapping his friend's shoulder as he laughed, "Aury can do that job. I'm just here for moral support; a metaphorical shoulder to cry on."

"My shoulder is free and open for any tears you may need to shed, Steve," I grinned, though there was truth to my words and he squeezed me tightly, heeding them, before letting me go, "alright, so I get the window seat, right?"

"Go for it," Steve laughed, rubbing hastily at his nose and shaking his head, offering me a sidelong grin as we made for the terminal, "I've had enough of staring out of plane windows for a lifetime."

"I'll fight you for it," Sam replied with a feigned glower, "I don't wanna be squished in the middle; it's only fair the smallest gets squished."

"C'mon, I _always_ get squished!" I rolled my eyes dramatically, leaning against Steve as we handed our boarding passes to the stewardesses, "it's not fair!"

"I'm gonna have to go with Sam on this one," Steve smirked, tossing our bags into the overhead compartment with ease, holding me back as Sam shimmied his way into the window seat, "I don't have to try and squeeze into my seat if you're in the middle."

"But then you guys squeeze into _mine_!" I cried, grinning as Steve laughed, grateful that I could at least provide some amusement to the upset soldier, "fine, I'll sit in the middle. At least that way you won't stuff me into the overhead, too."

"Keep up with the lip and we just might," Sam snorted, earning a slap upside the head from me as I buckled in for a long flight between two large guys.

/

The takeoff had been smooth, though not enough for Steve, apparently; my hand still ached from his vice-like grip and we had been in the air for three hours already.

Sam was staring out of the window, headphones in his ears and his head bobbing along to the beat. Steve was reading a book, at least, he pretended to; he hadn't turned the page for at least twenty-five minutes.

Dropping my own book to my lap, I turned to him, querying softly, "When's the last time you saw Peggy?"

He hummed, comprehending the question belatedly, lowering the book and replying, "A few months ago. I- I wanted to go more often, but her health and memory were just getting so bad; her daughter didn't want me to come anymore. And I didn't want to disobey her wishes. I don't know if Peggy asked for me after that; if she did, no one ever told me."

"I think she probably knew how much you wanted to be there, Steve," I replied, lips drawn to one side in a sad smile, "she knew how much she meant to you. From all of your stories, she was an amazing woman, and brilliant. She knew."

"I hope so," he sighed, dropping his head as a tear or two escaped. I caught his hand, resting my head on his shoulder and asking hopefully, "Tell me about her. About one of your missions with her and the Howling Commandos. Remember her like that; that's how she would've wanted it, I think."

I looked ahead to allow him some privacy to wipe away his stray tears and he let out a huffing laugh, "Alright then. Let's see… there was a time where we heard of some HYDRA agents camping out in a small city - Goslar - in Germany. Reports were that there were only a handful, maybe twelve, fifteen. We thought it would be easy enough to infiltrate, take care of the HYDRA agents, liberate the town. Turns out our intelligence was way off and there were sixty, not fifteen. I told them to let me go in alone, but Peggy wasn't having it. Neither was Bucky. God, the pair of them together were like some unstoppable force; I didn't stand a chance against them."

Grinning, I imagined the massive soldier being cowed by the whirlwind that was Peggy Carter and his best friend. It was an impressive thought; Peggy was what all of us girls strived to be, Nat most especially. And to have someone care about you as much as Bucky did for Steve - and vice versa - it was a charming, heart-warming thing.

"So we went in together, went building to building," Steve continued, "the guys were having the time of their lives; all of them together, HYDRA never stood a chance. And Peggy… she was right there, in the thick of it. Taking out agents left and right, looking… breathtaking while doing it."

He took a moment to clear his throat and I remained silent, waiting for him to carry on, which he did with a laugh, "I got shot. Just standing there, staring at her. Bucky had my back, of course, took the guy out without blinking, but… he had to go and call me out on it. The look on Peggy's face - and probably mine… If he weren't my best friend, I probably would've shot him. I wish he were here now. The old Bucky. The Bucky I knew, grew up with. He's been through hell and I wasn't there for him."

"You couldn't have been, Steve," I assured him, patting his arm and righting myself, staring up at him with a hard frown, "don't take the blame for that. You were under ice for decades. You couldn't have stopped it. And you didn't know when you woke up; no one did. What happened to him was _unimaginable_ , but don't for once think you caused it."

"It's just- I lost Peggy," he sighed, rubbing at his red-rimmed eyes, "I lost her, and he's the only one left. He may not remember that, but I do. And I remember who he used to be. I can't lose him, too."

"You won't," I replied vehemently, "you'll find him. And I'll help you. Help him. He needs all the help - all the friends - he can get. I don't mind being one."

Steve grinned down at me, teary-eyed, and thanked me, "He really would like you, Aurelie."

The seatbelt light flashed on and the captain's voice echoed through the plane, announcing our imminent arrival in London. Steve latched onto my hand and I winced, making a mental note to get an ice pack when we reached the hotel.

/

In a small marketplace in Bucharest, Bucky Barnes moved like a shadow amongst the stalls and carts. He carried his small bag of plums through the crowd, intent on reaching the little newsstand before it ran out of papers.

Nobody paid him mind, but that didn't mean he wasn't on high alert. He could never be certain when someone - anyone - would recognize him as the Winter Soldier, and then he would be well and truly fucked. He had outrun the American authorities, SHIELD, Steve Rogers for as long as he could and he didn't intend on being taken in anytime soon.

He knew.

He knew he deserved to be punished for the crimes he had committed but a part of him, a part he recalled from the vague memories he had from his past before he had been taken, twisted, brainwashed, that refused to let him turn himself in. He hadn't meant to do those things. It wouldn't make much difference to any governing power; he _had_ been the one to do them, regardless of his desire in the matter.

And whatever punishment they would concoct for him was nothing compared to the torment he put himself through every day. He remembered the faces, remembered the names.

Remembered the ways he had tortured them, killed them. Now that he remembered them, he couldn't allow himself to forget. It was an insult to them, every last one of the innocents he had murdered for HYDRA and the highest bidder.

His metallic arm trembled as he reached the stand and he was grateful that the sunglasses perched on his nose hid the despair in his eyes from the vendor. He asked for a paper and read over the headline, a frown growing on his bearded face.

 _MARGARET "PEGGY" CARTER DIES, AGED 95_

Peggy Carter.

The same Peggy Carter that had helped train Steve Rogers, his best friend from… before. The same woman his formerly tiny friend had fallen in love with. He had thought of the lovely brunette from time to time, recalled Steve's infatuation with her. She had been a helluva woman, and yet, time hadn't stopped for her the way it had for Steve. Age had caught up with her in a way that it never had - and possibly never would - for himself.

He read over the article, wondering if Captain America would make an appearance at her funeral. It was in London, the following day. He could have gone, might have gone, if his path hadn't been so skewed from Steve's.

If they had both been on that plane - he had learned of his awakening when he was in HYDRA's clutches, but it had meant nothing until his memories began to return - perhaps they both would have been frozen. If he hadn't fallen off of the train, hadn't been taken by the hands of evil, maybe he would have been by his best friend's side. Perhaps they both would have awoken in a new century, one without the serum and one with.

He had contemplated these things time and again, but it never did any good to dwell on them. Whether or not Steve Rogers wanted to see him again didn't matter; he could be taken in by any agency in the world, as long as he never had to see Rogers again.

He didn't think he could withstand the forgiveness that he knew he didn't deserve.

Tucking the paper under his arm, he made his way back to his meager apartment, his mind drifting to fragmented memories of a mission to a small German city, of a bullet to Steve's side, and his immediate retaliation against the one who had hurt his lovestruck best friend.

A sad smile painted his face as he wished, not for the first time, that his life had taken a different course.

/

I knew Natasha was at the back of the church, dressed in a conservative black dress, but I doubted Steve even realized it. I watched him from the front pew, seated beside Sam, as Steve stood at Peggy's side one last time, escorting her to the altar, tears trekking steadily down his face.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and righted myself in the pew as he and the others set the casket down beside a beautiful, black and white photograph of one of the foundering members of SHIELD. He miserably made his way to my side, dropping himself into the seat and exhaling shakily.

Sam leaned over me to give him a comforting pat on the leg while I hooked my arm through his. The captain smiled sadly, grateful for our company, and turned his attention to the reverend. He commended Peggy for her bravery, for her intelligence, for her grace and love for her family. He even asked Peggy's niece, Sharon, to speak, much to the surprise of Steve.

Though I assumed it had more to do with the fact that it was Agent 13 and not an unfamiliar stranger.

I wasn't friends with Sharon, though we had met before and had even gone for drinks with Nat before. She knew Steve, as well, though he apparently had no idea that she was related to Peggy. If anyone should have known, though, it was him, and as the service ended and she stepped up beside him, I allowed them their privacy.

That was one awkward conversation that I didn't need to be a part of.

Making my way toward the back, I met up with Nat, hugging her and smiling, "Steve'll be glad you're here. Tony couldn't make it?"

She had decided, rather last minute, to join us in London the night before, promising that she would try to drag Stark along with her. As much as they hated to admit it, Steve and Tony were friends, and it would have meant a lot to Steve for the mechanic to be present.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "He's in a mood. Ever since that lady jumped him at MIT, he's been pretty gungho about these Accords. And since Steve is the main opponent-"

"Uh, I said I wasn't part of it either," I quirked a brow, "what, is he mad at me too?"

"Not as much," Natasha let out a sarcastic laugh, "you know him and Steve. They're always going at it. It was about time something put them at odds; it's been a while."

"I understand Tony's point, I really do," I sighed, running a hand through my hair, "but I dunno, Nat. I don't think the Accords is the way to go."

"What way should we go then?" she inquired, though there was no malice to her tone. She folded her arms across her chest, frowning in defeat. "This is the only option. I don't like picking sides, and I _hate_ picking Ross's side, but this might be the only way for us to stick together."

"I know," I clicked my tongue, _I just don't know if we can all stick together because of this_ …

Steve approached the pair of us, wrapping Natasha in a hug; I waved at the pair of them and slipped from the church, falling into place beside Sam as he waited, seated on the steps, for the super soldier. He offered me a warm smile and tipped his head toward the interior of the church.

"I heard what you said to Steve yesterday, on the plane," he stated, "about helping him with Barnes. It means a lot to him. And me. God knows I can't keep up with him half the time, especially when he thinks we're on the trail. Having another person shoulder some of that will be great."

"Well, I know you two have been looking for him forever," I noted, laughing as he shoved me good-naturedly, "I want to help. Steve deserves to have the one remaining person from his past back in his life. And Bucky deserves more than a life on the run. Even after all he's done, he's still just a man with half a memory. He needs help. And reconciling with Steve, that's gonna be good for him. And good for Steve. It's a win-win. And I think I'll be able to help if Bucky's, ya know, _less than cooperative_."

" _Pretty_ sure he will be," Sam snorted, "he almost killed Steve last time he saw him."

"But he saved him, too," I replied, "there's still a chance for Bucky to redeem himself. And I think we can help him take it."

/

So, I thought I'd throw a little Bucky in there! Not entirely thrilled with this chapter, but I am looking forward to when they meet up! It's gonna be great :D Please review!


	7. Chapter 6

Hello all! I'm back! Sorry for the delay; I have no good excuses. Please review and let me know what you think! Also, considering a Peter/OC story; lemme know what you think! I might've laid the seeds for it in this chapter hehehehe. We finally see Bucky in this chapter - yayyy! - but I feel like the middle is a bit of a filler. :/

Chapter Six

 _"Well, I know you two have been looking for him forever," I noted, laughing as he shoved me good-naturedly, "I want to help. Steve deserves to have the one remaining person from his past back in his life. And Bucky deserves more than a life on the run. Even after all he's done, he's still just a man with half a memory. He needs help. And reconciling with Steve, that's gonna be good for him. And good for Steve. It's a win-win. And I think I'll be able to help if Bucky's, ya know,_ less than cooperative _."_

 _"_ Pretty _sure he will be," Sam snorted, "he almost killed Steve last time he saw him."_

 _"But he saved him, too," I replied, "there's still a chance for Bucky to redeem himself. And I think we can help him take it."_

"When will you be back, though? Cuz I, well, I thought, uh, maybe we could hang out. I mean, not like, _hang out_ , like _that_ \- but-"

"Petey," I laughed, rolling my eyes to the ceiling fondly, imagining the young, awkward boy fidgeting as he spoke, blushing wildly in anticipation of my lighthearted teasing that _always_ came after his sheepish babbling, "calm down, dude. Of course we'll hang out, but _only_ if we hang out _like that._ "

"Gaaahh, _Aury_ ," he whined, "why do you- you're _always_ teasing me! Ned says you're-," his voice dropped to a whisper, " _flirting with me_."

"I do what I must," I snorted, eyes flitting to Steve and Sharon, a slight grin on my face; Peter wasn't the only one uncomfortable around women, "but you need about, oh, fifteen more years before I start _really_ flirting with you, Pete. And you better be prepared."

He stuttered something unintelligible, so I saved him from anymore discomfort, "I'll probably be back tomorrow morning, though. Steve wants to meet with Peggy's family."

"I still can't believe you know him," Peter sighed wistfully, all embarrassment disappearing from his tone, "could you maybe, um, introduce me or something? Sometime? If he, you know, has the time; if not that's totally cool."

"I'm sure he can squeeze it into his busy schedule," I chuckled, lifting a shoulder and turning away from the pair of blonds to give them some privacy. Didn't need unwelcome eyes on them if they locked lips, did they? "Maybe when he drops me off; you'll have to come over to my place, though. Can't have May getting suspicious, now can we?"

"You're the best, Aury," Peter breathed, "seriously, the best. And you can give me some pointers? Like, for crime fighting? And history, cuz I've got this test on Russian czars on Friday."

"You got it." His tone was hopeful and, honestly, I could never deny him anything, anyway. Adopting a knowing, jeering tone, I queried, "So how's Robin?"

"She, uh, well, I mean, I don't really know," he stuttered, "she's not- we're not _friend-friends_ or anything, but she… I think she's good."

"You should…"

Trailing off, I stared, wide-eyed, at the flat screen monitor above the bar. Jaw dropped, I watched the smoking, blazing building, the headline scrolling quickly across the bottom, the words reading _DOZENS DEAD AT SOKOVIA ACCORD SIGNING - WINTER SOLDIER RESPONSIBLE._

"Oh, _fuck me_."

" _Aury!_ "

Dazed, I blinked, squinting at the granular, black and white still of the perpetrator of the attack. There was a strong resemblance to Steve's former best friend, but why on God's green earth would he do such a thing? And Natasha…

"Fuck, sorry, Petey, I- _shit_ , I gotta go," I muttered, distracted, waving wildly at Sam to catch his attention. Gesturing sharply at the television, I eased Peter's fears on the other end, assuring him, "I'm okay, but something's come up. I gotta go."

"Something Avenger-y? Oh, man, did you _see_ what just- does this have to do with the Accords? Are you going after the Winter Soldier?"

"Yes," I answered before wincing immediately at his high-pitched, panicked whispers, "don't worry, Petey, I'm a professional. I'll be alright. Just… I'll keep you posted, yeah?"

I didn't give him time to respond, tucking the phone into my purse as Steve, Sharon, and Sam converged at my seat at the bar, their expressions grim. Steve's bright blue eyes were glued to the screen over my head, his brow furrowed low, his gaze sad.

Touching his arm, I forced him to look at me, "Hey, we'll figure this out. We'll find him before they do."

 _They_ including the CIA, the FBI, Interpol… the Avengers. Had the Accords officially been signed? Were they, were _we,_ under someone else's control? They would want us to take Bucky in, obviously, but that, I knew, would be done over Steve's dead body.

Which was why we needed to find him first.

"I'll find out what I can," Sharon noted, her eyes lingering on my hand on Steve's muscular arm. She watched me give him another squeeze before removing my hand and raking it through my hair in frustration. "I'm sure we'll be getting loads of tips coming in. Gimme a few hours and I'll do what I can."

Steve offered her a warm smile and thanked her as I turned to Sam. He followed, his back to the two, and dipped his head, "If this _was_ him, this is bad, Aury. Really bad. Steve's not gonna let us take him in, but-"

"I know," I exhaled heavily through my nose, scrolling through my contacts and drawing up Nat's picture, "let's just hope it wasn't. I'm gonna call Nat; I need to make sure she's alright."

The phone rang once, twice, three times before it went to voicemail. Of course Nat wouldn't leave a long, personal message; in fact, she didn't even leave her name. Her harsh tone simply ordered, ' _go'_ and a long beep followed.

Sighing, I lowered my voice, eyeing the news and worrying my lip, "Nat, call me back as soon as you get this. Let us know you're alright."

Sam leaned close and added solemnly, "You better not be dead."

"We'll kill you if you are," I agreed, ending the call and hastily bringing up Tony's number.

He answered on the second ring, his tone lacking any of its typical flirtatious nature, "Seen the news, GG?"

"Yep," I popped the 'p' and queried hopefully, "heard from Nat?"

"No, but she can handle herself. How's the Cap holding up?"

"He's holding," I replied, following slowly behind the trio to the elevator, keeping my voice low to keep from drawing Cap's attention. When they entered, I waved them away, leaning against the wall and watching _KING OF WAKANDA DEAD AT WINTER SOLDIER'S HANDS_ run beneath the footage of the still smoking building. "Ross order us out yet?"

"Not yet," Tony answered with a sigh, "but I'm expecting a call any second. You thinkin' about going to find him?"

A humorless laugh escaped my lips. "Of course. Steve wouldn't be Steve if he didn't still believe in him, Tony."

"Would you stay behind if I asked you not to get involved?"

"Never," I assured him, "you know that. I'll be careful, and I'll keep an eye on Cap. I won't let his heart get the best of him. If Bucky _did_ do this, I'll stop him."

I wouldn't even have to lay a finger on him. One look and he'd be under my control. _Not_ that I wanted to do that to a man who had been brainwashed for over fifty years, but if he really _was_ the threat the media was making him out to be, I would do what I had to.

"I know you will, GG," the billionaire replied, a slow breath escaping him, "let me know if you need me out there. I'm gonna start coordinating relief efforts, send some suits out for evac and recon."

"Good, good," I jabbed the _up_ button beside the elevator, "you keep me posted, too. If you need me for search and rescue-"

"Thanks, babe, I'll let you know."

The ride up to our floor was quiet outwardly, but my mind raced and I wished my vision stretched far enough to search the massive, sprawling skyscraper where the Accords were being ratified. Lifting my glasses from my face, I tried, but Vienna was far too distant; my head began to pound before I had even made it beyond the borders of France. There were too many people, too much pressure, and I had to lower the glasses over my eyes once more.

"Damn it," I breathed. Rubbing at my temple, I checked my phone once more, hoping from a text or a call from anyone, whether it was Nat herself or someone notifying me of her safety. Finding only Peter's anxious texts, I responded quickly before tucking it away. The elevator doors opened and I exited, almost running smack dab into Sam's sturdy chest.

He reached out a steadying hand and queried, "You hear anything?"

"Nope," I sighed, "Steve ready and raring to go?"

"As soon as we get a good lead," he replied, guiding me back to our room and led me inside, "you better change; we gotta be ready to go any second."

Nodding, I crossed the room, silently gathering my bag and kicking off my heels, watching Steve stare pensively at the reports flashing by on the massive television. I didn't comment, didn't reach out to him; I knew the captain well enough to know that his heart was breaking at the accusations lobbed at his former friend. I didn't need to read his gaze to know that.

It took minutes to change and, when I emerged in jeans and a loose, vibrant purple tunic, Steve had turned, waiting for me to reappear. He tossed my sneakers to me, noting seriously, "Sharon's got some intel; she's down at the bar. You don't have to come with us, Aurelie."

"Are you kidding me?" I snorted, shaking my head adamantly. Dropping my shoes to the ground, I toed them on and led him to the door, "you need me now more than ever. Let's go find him, Cap."

/

Sharon's lead would take us to Bucharest, but first, we wanted to stop in Vienna to search for Nat. No matter how desperately Steve wanted to find Bucky, he would never leave the redheaded spy behind in a heap of rubble. I still hadn't heard from her, despite Sam, Steve, and I trying to contact her. If she was alright, which we hoped she was, she was likely helping out where she could.

It didn't take as long as I'd expected to get there, and the minute we did, we were shooed from the crime scene impatiently. Steve had his phone to his ear for at least the seventh time as I lifted my glasses and let out a soft whistle. The nearest guard turned, his eyes glazing over as I caught his gaze. He didn't say a word, but he lifted the caution tape and allowed us entry, before turning away and wandering off to aid more of the injured.

Sam gave me a fist bump, commenting laughingly about the advantages of my Jedi mind tricks. Peter had been the one to christen them that after I had introduced him to Star Wars, and, when I told the others, it caught on immediately. Of course, I didn't have to do any hand-waving, or say the words, but it was close enough.

Anyone who happened to catch sight of us and begin to send us on our way was turned right around, our presence completely swept from their minds. We moved quickly through the crowd, Cap's broad shoulders parting the sea of frantic onlookers and wounded civilians.

"Natasha."

We halted quickly and I pushed my glasses up into my hair, searching for any sign of her. Keeping my ear on Steve, who breathed a sigh of relief, I scoured the crowd for her, hoping to find her among the hundreds of wandering bodies.

"There," I muttered, despite the others' inability to see her through the five trees, two ambulances, and brick wall between us, "she's alright. A few cuts and bruises, but she seems okay."

Steve nodded, though his mouth was set in a firm, displeased line as he continued to listen to her. Finally, he announced determinedly, "We're going, Nat. We're gonna find him. I know what you have to do, and I know what the others have to do, but I'm going to find Bucky."

He exhaled heavily as he drew the phone away from his ear, turning to me and inquiring, "Can she see us?"

"Nope," I confirmed, looping my arm through his and Sam's. My eyes drifted skyward at the sound of incoming drones, and I watched as nearly two dozen of Tony's suits jettisoned into view. Most were empty, except for the lead suit, gold and red glinting in the sun, his chocolate eyes searching for any sign of survivors. "But we better go before Tony tries to talk us out of it."

/

Sharon had gotten us within a two mile radius of the Winter Soldier's hideout. It wasn't hard to find him; the walls weren't thick and, even without facing me, that vibranium arm was visible through his lightweight, navy jacket. He was moving swiftly down a tight alleyway, leaping easily over garbage cans and empty boxes. A bag of plums swung, forgotten, in one clenched fist as he ran. Taking a running jump, he bounced off of the closed lid on a dumpster, catching onto the fire escape with his metal hand and hauling himself up.

"Sixth floor," I announced to the others, screwing my eyes shut and digging my fingers into them. Dropping my glasses, I blinked away the pain and glanced skyward. Sam circled the complex high overhead, far enough out of range that Bucky would never get suspicious. "Corner complex, west side of the building. Exits on floors one, three, and five. He's got two exits in his apartment alone. He catches sight of you, he's outta there."

"Yeah, well that's where I come in," Sam replied, a grin in his tone as he glided in a wide, arcing oval above us, "sure you don't want a lift up here?"

"I'm good for now," I laughed, slipping into the alley Bucky had travelled down, watching for any sign of the soldier should he try to escape the way he had come."

A flash of black and silver leapt across the rooftops overhead and I stared, surprised. It wasn't anyone from the number of agencies that could have come for Bucky, so I shoved my glasses upright and squinted through steel and concrete at a man in a skin-tight cat suit. Carefully peering past his clothing only, I stared at his face, a brief flash of recognition sparking in me as I realized his face had been plastered across the news alongside his now-deceased father's.

"Shit."

Though I wasn't a super soldier, I was more than capable of clambering up a fire escape; mimicking Bucky's moves on the building opposite, I moved quickly. Curiously enough, he wasn't moving, crouching low behind a large metal fan on the roof whenever Sam got too close for comfort.

But he still hadn't seen me.

My earbud was going crazy, voices and gunshots blurring together, but I couldn't focus on that, hauling myself onto the concrete roof and sneaking toward T'Challa. I knew Cap and Sam had it handled; I only hoped that neither of them - or Bucky - were hurt in the process.

I was more concerned about the new king of Wakanda. I knew why he was here; with Bucky's guilt bandied about from station to station, there was no doubt that he believed the Winter Soldier to be responsible for his father's death. And, while I hadn't expected him to have any sort of… cat-like alter-ego, I couldn't blame a man for wanting his father's supposed murderer killed.

But if I could get to him before he got to Bucky, I could hopefully meet his gaze, reign him in, prevent him from launching an attack fueled by grief and hatred.

"'Scuse me, Your Highness?" I called out, stuffing my hands in my pockets and strolling toward the ventilation system he lurked behind, "mind if I-"

He moved far quicker than I expected, leaping over it, his knees to my chest as he pinned me to the ground. Letting out a loud ' _oof!'_ I lay, breathlessly, under his weight, staring wide-eyed at a raised hand with razor sharp claws extending from the glove.

"Shit, man, I-"

Immediately realizing I wasn't much of a threat, he stood, retracting his claws, hesitating between helping me up and making for Bucky's apartment. Growling, he queried angrily, his tone deep, accented, "Who are you?"

"Nobody," I replied, waving an impatient hand and propping myself upright, intent on rising to my feet, "pseudo-Avenger. I-"

Sam called out my name in warning, and I ducked instinctively, hands flailing over my head as a large body and a backpack went rolling quickly past me. Bucky hauled himself to his feet and grabbed his bug-out bag, quickly doing a double-take over his shoulder at me.

His brilliant blue eyes burned with curiosity, but he didn't get a chance to question me - or run, which was the likelier of the two - when T'Challa tackled him to the ground. He righted himself easily, extending his claws once again as the pair squared off. Bucky regarded him warily, dropping his bag and easing himself into a fighting stance across the burning stretch of concrete.

"Guys, guys!" I leapt to my feet, dashing toward them and pushing my glasses atop my head, feeling entirely too unprepared to be approaching such powerful men. Still, I darted between them, hands outstretched even as Sam warned me to keep my distance in my ear. "You don't need to do this, T'Challa!"

"Yes, I do," he replied immediately, running at the pair of us and pouncing into the air.

A hard shove knocked me out of the way and I hit the ground hard as Bucky took the brunt of the black-clad Wakandan's assault. He fought him off valiantly, his arm deflecting T'Challa's blows easily.

Shaking my head, I hauled myself to my feet, ignoring Steve's voice screaming in my ear to watch for incoming bogies. When Bucky knocked his opponent back, I positioned myself between them again, praying T'Challa would catch my eye.

He obviously did, his arm poised uselessly overhead, claws still bared. His body appeared frozen, his muscles coiled and his voice grunting from the strain beneath his mask, "What… are you doing to me?"

"Sorry, Your Highness, but I need you to _not_ murder Bucky, thanks," I replied, lifting a shoulder apologetically.

"Buck," I called over my shoulder, though I didn't dare look away from my target. I didn't know if he'd fled from the roof yet, but I hoped he was still there. We'd come too far to find him, to help him, for us to lose him again. I also preferred not to look like a dumbass in front of royalty. "You _really_ need to talk to Steve. He doesn't want to take you in, believe me. We've been-"

Gunfire exploded through the sky and I tore my gaze from T'Challa, releasing him from my hold. Crouching low to avoid the spray of bullets, I was surprised to find a black figure curl over my body, shielding me from the assault raining down on us from the three helicopters overhead.

Grateful that he didn't leave me to die, I still couldn't help but wait impatiently for him to move so I could chase after the Winter Soldier.

With a frown I watched him dash across the rooftop, head bent and arm overhead to deflect the bullets, he leapt over the ledge and out of sight. A blur of red, white, and blue followed him closely, disappearing from sight and ignoring all orders to cease from whichever organization had gotten to us first.

When the bullets ceased, T'Challa uncoiled himself and stood tall; glasses still askew in my hair, I saw his glower behind his mask, his lip curled and his gaze burning as he warned, "Do not attempt something like that again. I will gladly prevent you from doing so in the future."

My eyes flitted to his claws, curled in warning, and I tipped my head to one side. "Noted."

He huffed out an unamused laugh and tore off after the two super soldiers. The gunshots followed him, obviously assuming I was little more than a civilian, and I fell back against the cement, wondering how on earth I could be of use to Cap and Bucky in a high-speed foot chase.

 _Shit, man_ , I grumbled, calling for Sam, _time to steal a car_.

/

Please review everyone!

Food Lover 1: I'm sorry you had to wait again for this chapter! I'm so glad you like the story, though, and I hope you still tune in for this story!

13teen: Thanks! I hope you liked this chapter too!

Jayjay05: sorry for the delay!

RoxanneRay: Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! I love Peter's dorkiness lol, I can't help but love writing him. I'm thinking of doing a Spiderman-centric story, but haven't decided yet lol. The airport scene is gonna be epic, though, and super intense between Peter and Aury!

Wickedgrl123: oh my gosh thank you for the amazing review! I haven't started one, but I'm considering it. I'm very tempted. I placed a different girl in there at Peter's potential love interest; may start another story and tie them together lol. I pronounce it as Aw-ree if that makes sense lol. That's the best spelling I could think of. Thank you! I'm so glad you like her interactions with everyone. I know, if I didn't pair her with Bucky, I would've gone with Steve haha. Or Tony. Tony's flirtiness is so easy to write. Yeah, there will be more about how Pietro made it out, but you're right. It does have to do with her and that's why he's attracted to her. I would love to add Deadpool; I'm sure I could work him in at some point. It would be excellent comic-relief haha. I can't wait for them to officially meet; it should be the next chapter! I actually don't have a face claim for her. I usually don't for my main characters lol. Other than giving them a hair/eye color combo, I like the readers to picture who they want. I hope you liked the other stories!

Olivia0707: Sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

TheUltimateBibliophile: Thank you so much! Glad you liked it!


	8. Chapter 7

Hello all! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Please let me know!

Chapter Seven

 _My eyes flitted to his claws, curled in warning, and I tipped my head to one side. "Noted."_

 _He huffed out an unamused laugh and tore off after the two super soldiers. The gunshots followed him, obviously assuming I was little more than a civilian, and I fell back against the cement, wondering how on earth I could be of use to Cap and Bucky in a high-speed foot chase._

Shit, man, _I grumbled, calling for Sam_ , time to steal a car.

Sam dropped me to the ground - in the middle of a busy street, no less - and jettisoned after the trio. Cursing after him, I turned as a horn blared; shoving my glasses up, I glowered at the driver, who immediately hit the brakes and leapt from his vehicle. Jogging around to the driver's seat, I clambered into the sleek, silver Audi and, after adjusting the seat to my short frame, slammed my foot onto the gas.

It wasn't hard to follow the trail of destruction left by all four men, shaking my head. Did they have any idea how many lives they were putting at risk to stop a man I could've halted in an instant if I'd been able to catch his gaze.

 _Course, I would've had to get through a storm of bullets and jump off of buildings and dodge cars and-_ fuck _!_

Swerving as an unsuspecting car attempted to cut into my lane, I screamed out the window, " _I'm trying to prevent World War III here, bro! Learn how to drive!_ "

I was almost certain he didn't understand my words, but the sneer was clear enough and he fell back behind me. It was far safer that way, anyway.

A loud, sudden cracking drew my attention toward the top of the tunnel and I gaped. Sam made it through the crumbling concrete, only just, and I weighed my options with what little time I had.

 _What the hell_ …

I wasn't losing them now.

Pedal to the floor, I braced myself, slinking low in my seat on the very likely chance that the tunnel roof would collapse on top of the Audi and crush me inside. Not the best way to go…

But as the concrete and steel rained down on the vehicle, I burst out of the tunnel, a hand raised as the bright sunlight blinded me momentarily. When my vision cleared, I gaped, heart in my throat, and slammed both feet onto the brake pedal. The car veered away from the mass of police officers surrounding the panting quartet and jolted to a halt.

With a shaky hand, I threw the car in park and flung myself from the severely dented vehicle. Reaching for my spectacles, I hesitated when Cap met my gaze and shook his head slowly.

Guns turned in my direction and I raised my hands in surrender, nostrils flaring and eyes narrowing. It would have been nothing to have the men and women drop their weapons, giving Cap, Bucky, Sam, and even T'Challa, a chance to get away. But that would've put us all in an even more dangerous position, myself especially.

Powers like mine were considered dangerous weapons and I was certain Ross wouldn't hesitate to put me behind bars if I helped the most wanted criminal in the world escape from under his nose.

"Aury."

"Rhodey?"

Standing on the tips of my toes, I offered the War Machine a tight smile, making note of the weapons trained on the Winter Soldier's broad, still form.

"Wanna make him come willingly?" he queried, jerking his head toward Bucky, who turned his wary gaze to me. Trepidation filled those baby blues and I wondered if he knew of my abilities and feared them.

My heart lurched and I frowned; he wasn't putting up any sort of a fight to begin with. Why force myself into his head when so many others had already done so and force a man who had already surrendered to submit? Giving the tall, broad soldier a calculating stare, I shook my head, "I think he's willing enough. He'd have us all on our asses if he wanted to."

Steve huffed a laugh and offered his former friend a sad smile, "That should tell you right there that he's no danger to us."

"That or the fact that we've got twenty-plus guns on him," Rhodey replied, rolling his eyes, "even you super soldiers can't withstand that."

I wanted to argue that a case could probably be made to the contrary, especially if Cap went after the men shooting at Bucky and I froze half of them in place, but I didn't, wondering loftily, "Are we all under arrest or…"

"Just Barnes," Rhodes replied, though he glanced skeptically at T'Challa until the man ripped his mask off, "Your Highness."

Lowering my hands, I met Bucky's gaze; he had been staring, but dropped his eyes to the ground the minute I caught him. He hid his gaze behind a curtain of soft-looking mahogany hair and braced himself. He had long since caught his breath and stood still as a statue as a pair of thick, steel cuffs were slapped around his wrists.

"Sorry about this," I murmured, though I wasn't the one doing the arresting. My heart hurt to see the resigned set of his jaw, the blank look in his bright eyes. "We didn't mean for it to happen."

"You're lucky half these guys don't speak English, Aury," Rhodes noted, catching Bucky's metal arm in one hand, though he made no move to run, "you'd be in cuffs, too."

"She has nothin' to do with this."

The words were soft but certain, and I cocked a surprised brow in Bucky's direction; a grateful grin flitted across my face but his eyes weren't on me. They focused on Steve now, the former's jaw clenching intermittently.

"We'll take care of this, Buck," Steve assured him even as Rhodey led him away and the police officers finally lowered their weapons.

"Captain Rogers!"

Steve spun and I followed; the voice was gentler than I expected and came from a man only a few inches taller than me. He was a good ten years older than Steve, with short brown hair and a clean-shaven jaw. Offering the man a hand, he smiled placidly until the captain accepted his gesture.

"Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander, Joint Counter-terrorism Committee."

"That's a mouthful," Sam muttered, turning toward me and offering a terse smile.

It might not have been the best time, but a snort escaped me and Ross - was he related to the dick of a one with a giant mustache? - turned his attention to me. His smile never dimmed and he extended his palm to me, as well, "Ms. Reynolds. Pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Good things?" I queried lightly, jokingly.

"Some," he replied with a cheeky grin, releasing me and stepping back. Clapping his hands together, he looked between us. The two of us were the odd ones out; Sam, Steve, and T'Challa were all tall, broad, muscular beasts while Ross and I were miniscule in comparison. "Lady and gentlemen! You'll be pleased to know that none of you are under arrest. It can't be proven that it was your intent to help the Winter Soldier escape, so you're off the hook."

"I would not help that man if it were life or death," T'Challa seethed, folding his arms across his chest and sneering.

"Yeah, well, lucky for you it didn't look that way," Ross retorted, nonplussed, "we _would_ like you to accompany us, though; debriefing and all. Tony Stark is waiting for us in Berlin; we set up a sort of headquarters there, so if you don't mind…"

He swept an arm toward a relatively unscathed black SUV, waiting patiently for us to move. He and Steve seemed to be having some sort of masculine staring contest while T'Challa and Sam simply watched.

Rolling my eyes, I stalked toward the SUV, calling loudly, "Shotgun!"

/

Lunging from the car, I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous amount of testosterone and wrapped Natasha in a hug. She laughed at my frustration at being stuck in a car with four posturing men and lifted an easy shoulder as I noted, "I'm glad you're alright."

"Well you already knew that," she offered me a pointed glance, "I heard the sirens; I know you were there."

"Well we had to check up on our favorite assassin," I replied cheerily, following her toward the massive, multi-story compound that Ross had commandeered.

"Don't let Clint hear you say that," she noted with a smirk.

We entered the facility, ignoring the hustle and bustle, my strange yellow gaze searching for Tony as I queried, "How much trouble are we actually in?"

"You guys? None. But Barnes won't be so lucky. They're talking death penalty."

My heart dropped and I gaped at her, " _Seriously_? No trial, no consideration for, oh, decades of brainwashing?"

She shook her head, a grim set to her mouth, and I sneered, "Oh no; let me at the motherfucker that thinks they're getting away with _that_."

"Mm, save that dirty mouth for the bedroom."

Spinning on a heel, I couldn't even offer the billionaire a smile; he came to a halt, arms held out to his sides, his broad smile slowly fading at the fury on my face.

"Who shit in your cornflakes?" he queried, pouting and lowering his arms, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "seriously, what-"

"Who's throwing around _death penalty_ here?" I hissed quietly, tossing a glance over my shoulder toward Steve, who was still unaware of the threat against his former bestie, "what the fuck, Tony?"

He hastened to me, pressing a finger to my lips before snatching it back with a gasp as I bit him, "I _said_ save it for the bedroom, GG! And it's not gonna happen. He's too hot a commodity for Ross - either one of 'em - to take out. Seriously, chill."

"But Nat-"

"Shouldn't have said anything," Tony rolled his eyes and shot a dark frown her way, "it's unconfirmed and it's unlikely. Talk, that's all it is. You know we wouldn't let that happen. None of us want the guy dead; what he did, it was all HYDRA. You know that, I know that; they know that. Or else they've got another thing comin'. Barnes isn't dying on my watch."

I finally hugged him and he lifted me from my feet, swinging me around and wiggling his hips, "That's what I'm talkin' about, GG."

Snorting, I pecked his cheek before hitting his shoulder, "You're the worst, Tony."

"The best of the worst," he replied easily, turning to Steve as he, Sam, and T'Challa approached, "Cap'n. Looks like things went a little _awry_."

"A little," the captain repeated with a heavy sigh, clapping Tony's shoulder, "what's the lowdown?"

Tony shot me a quick glance, to which he received an exasperated eye roll in response; I wouldn't be blabbing about the task force's desire to apparently end Bucky where he stood. But he needed to tell Steve before somebody else did; didn't want the soldier to be going on a rampage.

Pushing my glasses into my hair, I gave the place a quick onceover. It was an elaborate spread, the facility sprawling across a few dozen acres and extending six floors beneath the surface. Scouring the rooms, I ignored the trysts in the broom closets, the boring meetings, the bathroom breaks, until I found the man I was looking for. Chewing on my lip, I saw him sitting, locked behind three inch thick glass and steel, strapped to a chair and looking completely and utterly forlorn.

He didn't move, didn't struggle, simply waited for whatever fate they had in store for him.

Wiggling my toes, I wondered how obvious it would be if I slipped away from the others, halted everyone in their tracks, wiped their minds of my presence, and had a minute alone with Bucky.

And then I immediately shook my head, clearing my mind of those silly thoughts. He wouldn't tell me anything he wouldn't tell Steve - and probably most of what he _would_ tell Steve; he owed me nothing. And, now that I saw him, I didn't want to force my powers on him. I didn't _want_ to make him talk about his past, about the things he had done; the look on his face was evidence enough that he would take whatever end they offered him.

Sadness overwhelmed me at the thought and I tore my gaze away from the disheartened soldier. A hand on my shoulder had me turning, nodding my head to drop the glasses back into place; as I stared up at the newly-crowned king of Wakanda, I couldn't help but notice the concern in his gaze.

 _Bigger threat than you thought, huh?_ I smirked before plastering a polite smile on my face and inclining my head, "Your Grace?"

"This is not Game of Thrones," he replied, a wry smile flitting across his face at my surprise, "I am T'Challa. how did you come by these powers, Ms.-?"

"Reynolds," I offered him a hand, one that he wasn't as reluctant to take, "Aurelie. Or Aury. Whatever's fine, really. And it's somethin' I was born with. Apparently didn't want to eat _peas_ when I was a baby and my mom tossed them in the trash and gave me pears. I've always been more of a fruit girl than veggies."

"It is impressive," he inclined his head, "not something I would like to experience again any time soon, but-"

"You made that pretty clear already," I grinned, throwing my hands up in surrender when he made to apologize, "no worries; heat of the moment. I stood between you and Bucky, I get it. And I'm not gonna lecture you; Steve did enough of that."

"Thank you," he replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "excuse me; there are a great many things I must attend to."

Nodding, I waved him off, breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn't gutted me where I stood for intervening between him and his father's supposed killer. Honestly, I didn't believe Bucky had any involvement - how would he have gotten from Vienna to Bucharest so quickly if he had? - but even if he did, I could never have watched T'Challa murder Steve's oldest friend. I would have stepped between them regardless.

Suddenly the lights went out and alarms began to blare. Glancing hastily for the others, I saw no one but T'Challa and Sam. Where Steve, Nat, and Tony had wandered off to, I didn't know, but I hurried over to Sam as he stood from the plush couch and caught my arm, "Does this have to do with Barnes?"

Like he had to ask.

Returning my attention to Bucky's cell, I started, staring at a man moving around the cage as Bucky writhed within. I couldn't hear them, that wasn't a luxury I had with my gift, but I could tell that the man was hissing something toward the soldier and Bucky wanted none of it. He worked against his restraints, his mouth contorted in a scream. He broke from them but the man never stopped; the Winter Soldier beat his metal fist against the door of his cell again and again and again until it shattered and he was free.

But he didn't go for the man as I thought he would. Whatever he had been saying tormented the soldier, that was obvious. But Bucky just rose to his feet and faced the man, nodding his head and squaring his shoulders.

And I knew we weren't dealing with Bucky anymore.

There was a dark, dead look in his eyes, void of any and all emotions I had seen in our short time in each other's company. There had been curiosity, fear, interest, sadness. But this… this was nothing. This wasn't Bucky Barnes.

"Sam, we gotta move!"

Dragging him from the room, I scoured the area quickly for Steve. He and Sharon were headed our way and when they entered the hallway, I waved them toward me, "He's out of his cell. There was some guy there; I don't know what he said, but I don't think Bucky's Bucky right now."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, his tone dangerously calm, "how can he just go from Bucky to the Winter Soldier? He wasn't the same man HYDRA turned him into when I talked to him in that apartment. He was himself; messed up, yeah, but not the Winter Soldier."

"I dunno, Steve, but he's the Winter Soldier now and we have to stop him," I replied, jogging down the steps and keeping my eye on Bucky through the steel and concrete walls. Wincing, I watched him dispatch the agents in his path, usually taking them down with one powerful hit. He broke bones with his fist, though he let the walls do some of the work for him, throwing them against them when they tried to sneak up on him. "He's not slowing down and he's not takin' any prisoners."

"C'mon."

Steve leapt the last four steps, positioning himself ahead of me and bursting through the next door, braced for a fight. But Bucky wasn't behind the door, which I would have told him if he didn't have to always be Captain America.

"Still got four hundred yards that-a way, Cap," I gestured down the hall, "but the protection is a nice thought."

He flushed, offering me an unamused frown, before gesturing toward Sam, "you and I are gonna go and stop him. Aurelie, Sharon, I need you two to be ready in case he gets past us."

"I don't know how much I'm gonna be able to do," the blonde agent replied, running a hand through her hair, "I'm not exactly equipped to fight a guy like that."

"Me either," Sam admitted, shrugging when Steve rounded on him, " _what_? I don't have my suit; it's just me against a guy with a metal arm and a super soldier serum runnin' through his veins; not the best odds. You should take Aury with you."

"I mean, it's not the worst idea," I replied; while I might have been reluctant to use my gift against Bucky, I had no problem bringing the Winter Soldier to a grinding halt.

"Fine," Steve sighed, nodding toward the hallway, "let's go. Sam, Sharon, be ready."

With that, we were off. While Sam was bigger, he didn't quite have the firepower my gaze did. I might not have wanted to square off with someone like the Winter Soldier, but I had gone against worst. And I wouldn't give up on the man that I had seen in the destroyed streets of Bucharest.

"Where is he, Aurelie?"

Bucky was hiding, just beyond the threshold of his cell, waiting for the pair of us. Gesturing toward him, I watched as Steve brushed past me, creeping forward and rolling into the room. This caught the Winter Soldier off guard; he had been expecting the captain at full height and, when his legs were kicked out from under him, he didn't see it coming.

He fell to the ground but was up again in an instant, falling into a defensive stance as Steve rounded on him, hands up in pleading, "Bucky, I know you're in there! Don't do this! I don't know what happened, but this isn't you!"

But Bucky simply let out a furious yell and lunged for the captain. So I leapt at him.

Latching myself onto his back, I wrapped my arms around his neck, locking in a chokehold and growling, "Fight it, Bucky! I don't know what he said but fight it!"

If I thought my assault was going to slow him down, I was wrong. He threw himself backwards, pinning me against the wall and leaving me breathless. He did it again and my head hit the concrete; stars exploded behind my eyes and my grip loosened. He spun in my arms, his metal hand reaching up and catching me below the chin. He squeezed, lip curling, blue eyes narrowed, devoid of any conscious thought or emotion.

Lungs burning, I scrambled for my glasses, but he caught my arm and crushed it against the wall.

Steve ripped him away from me, sending me pitching to the ground and inhaling heavily. My head ached and my hand was numb, but that didn't stop me from grabbing at my glasses with my good hand and snatching them from my face.

As the pair grappled and fought their way from the room, I hauled myself to my feet and cursed. Running after them as quickly as my trembling legs would carry me, I scoured the area for any sign of the man. He was small, thin and weaselly, not hard to find as he was the only other conscious person on this level aside from Steve and Bucky.

He was darting away, intent on freedom while the Winter Soldier wreaked havoc throughout the facility.

Not on my watch.

Taking off after him, I chased the unknown man, intent on taking him down before he could escape.

/

13teen: Haha yeah, I couldn't help it! It's so easy to write! I'm excited to have the two of them officially meet up. Should be within the next few chapters! And yes, I'm interested to write more of her and Pietro.

RoxanneRay: Thanks! Me too! It's going to be rough! Yeah, I still think he's an honorable man even if she got between them. He wouldn't just let her die.

RedPlanetGalaxy: thank you so much! I really appreciate that! :D

The Paranoia Kids: Thanks! I'm really glad you like it! I hope you liked this one too!

Olivia0707: thanks! I hope you like it!

Fangirl0012345: haha thank you!

Archrsphoenix: Thank you so much!


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